If you make one addition to your garden this summer, it should be a pergola. These structures add height, style, and growing space to your design, while integrating more shade for increased comfort. Though the European-inspired look has become a popular garden design trend for 2026, it's been around much, much longer.
For proof, look no further than Cher's California backyard in 1966, where she and her husband, Sonny Bono, were building a wooden pergola. Though the structure is a work-in-progress in the photos, its upcoming benefits for the outdoor space are already apparent. It is there to add height, space for planting, and a European touch to the seaside design. It sits beautifully among the groomed hedges on the property, creating a shift in the distribution of light.
