This title offers both the history of the pergola - how it has been used and enjoyed over the centuries - and a manual of design and planting for today's gardener. It begins with chapters featuring the various periods when pergolas and arbours have been key elements in the garden. It then looks at four of the very best pergolas found today. It also looks at the principles of design and the choice and care of suitable plants, before giving detailed drawings for six structures. The book seeks to be both fun and instructive.