If you're going to grow a rose on your arbor I strongly suggest rethinking using a plastic structure. Plastic is often broken down by UV rays and will ultimately leave you with a really nasty mess on your hands. I have had Solanum jasminoides growing up old wrought iron porch supports, with a cross piece of the same wrought iron to make a rectangular structure, for many years now, it is holding up well, although it's so covered you can't really see it any more. Here's what it looks like.

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DH made an arbor using white plastic pvc pipe and the white lattice that comes in 4'x8' sheets. I love it. We've had it about 3-4 years now. It's covered in roses and passion vines. This is looking south.

This is a grotto area off my garden shed, where I have shade lovers and orchids growing.
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This picture shows the arbor when it was new looking north. We didn't make the lattice roof and sides until the end of Dec. 2004.
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Nigella and Flowerlady,

Your pics are great. Very inventive and creative. Unfortunately, I don't have the skill to build something that substantial, and will need to purchase my arbor. And I'll re-think that "plastic" idea. I had admired an arbor in a woman's garden last summer, and she told me it was mail order (cheap), and plastic. I had thought it looked fairly substantial, and couldn't tell it wasn't wood.

If you have a Big Lots nearby, they have arbors that run very inexpensively.

Hi Lefty! My own 'arbor' didn't require any skill whatsoever, lol. It's just a couple of old wrought iron corner porch/carport supports with another, flat panel on top. The whole thing is held together by some kind of non-rusting wire. DH had a couple of pieces of 6' angle iron(think of the railings that hold mattresses on modern bed frames) and just drove them into the ground so that 3' is above the ground and 3' below, then we tied the corner of the supports to the inner angle of the angle iron. It really was easy and has held up through 3 hurricanes. Not bad for $0.00!

Here's another wrought iron porch support structure made by member FoxesEarth:

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Don't know if it's something u would like, but I found some green metal put it together yourself arbors at family dollar for $6. I plan on getting at least 3 or 4 for the extra vines I'm growing this year. May not be strong enough for roses tho...but won't hurt to check.

kids2,

thanks for that tip. i'll head over to one tomorrow and see if they have any. i did have one of those i bought about 5 yrs ago (it's kind of rusting out now), and it worked great for a sweet autumn clematis. so i could use another or two. but i do still want a white one, too, to tie in two sections of white split rail fence.

nigella, another great pic you posted. thanks!

Flowerlady, that is a great arbor. I drawed it out on paper
and everything it takes to make it. But where did you get the gate?
Nigella, I drawed yours out too. But where did you find the
carport supports?
kids2spoil thanks for the tip on family dollar.
Cheers Lori

Lori, I have a huge stack of porch supports that DH has rescued from trashpiles and a few just lying around here and there. I've used 6 of them, I'm hoping to use more soon.

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Nigella.
I guess i had better start going to trash piles then.
But I probly would never get that lucky. And as pretty as
your roses are I would be more than ready to get out there
and use the other stack. I have to train mine for now to climb trees.Here is a great website www.weAREroses.com

They will send you a free catalog. They have just about
every type climbing rose their is.
Lori

DH made me an arbor using a hogpanel. It was $11. Size must be 4'x 12' cuz I'm 5'5" and I can stand comfortably under the center. He made a shallow trench, put one short side in. Paced off how far apart he wanted the other side(wide enuff to get the tractor mower thru) and dug another shallow trench. Then he just bent it into the 2nd trench and tamped it down. Made a great arch!
JLR