The pergola is stunning. Who would not want such a feature in their landscape? And yet, I think many amateurs will find it difficult to successfully use one. It's about balance of visual power. Remember we talked about a balance of scale, size and proportion of bed space to lawn. This is a little like that. The pergola is a very strong visual element. Plunk it down in the middle of a lawn and it become over dominate, too much. Rather than a pleasing focal point it's more like a spot light shined in one's eyes. In my opinion, there are two ways to use such a feature. The first is to disassociate the pergola from the rest of the landscape in a way that makes it a space unto itself. We have all seen a single huge tree in a space too small. The effect is not good. But if there is a multitude of huge trees that engulf the entire space, we have a forest, a space unto itself. And that works. Consider a pergola between a house and a tall wall or hedge such that it takes up all of the space. Use other tricks to disassociate the pergola from the rest of the landscape like a grade change, or plantings. Like being in or out of the forest, the pergola becomes a space unto itself. In a similar way the pergola can be made an extension of the house. Set the pergola to a grade almost even with the house floor level then disassociate the pergola from the landscape with a different grade. Control of human perception is a tricky thing. The other way to use the pergola is to make it a part of the landscape. Here the challenge is to balance the visual power of the pergola to that which surrounds it. Space alone helps to dilute the dominance of overly strong elements to the landscape. It's much easier to do a successful design in a larger area rather than a smaller one. Then other features are selected that have a strong visual factor to complete the landscape, such as stone walls, large boulders, water features, larger plants with a strong contrast of form or color, or larger beds with a dense full look. When right, the pergola will still be the focal point, but it will fit within its surroundings. If you do the pergola I suggest you spend a lot of time looking at photos of similar strong elements in gardens that you like. Then play close attention to the other associated elements that make it work.

Great to hear there is superior design talent alive & well. Would love to see some pictures of your new retreat.

She was nibbling on a Laurel leaf willow that was too big anyways. Had been knocked down by the wind . It grows like a weed so no problem. In fact she is welcome back to keep pruning it any time she wants.

Fortunately, I think, turkeys are hunted pretty heavily around here, so they are people-shy. I get them in large flocks of 20 or more, but they stay out in the cornfields and rarely come close. They do come up sometimes to the edge of the chicken enclosure to check out their cousins, but always hightail it (pun intended) back to the cornfields, when I go outside. I have more problems with deer, who have no fear of people, and who think that my garden is a wonderful smorgasbord put out just for them. They come right up to the house. If I were more aggressive, IÂd pop one and fill my deep freezer. littleonefb, if the turkeys are ever a problem when you are outside, just raise your arms over your head, make a lot of noise, and charge right at them. I guarantee, they will retreat. As an added bonus, your neighbors will also stop bothering you. ngam, we have fishers up here, too. They have that weird, hump-backed loping run. Ever hear one call at night? They sound like someone screaming in the woods, like they are being skinned alive. During a visit last year my father was in a panic one morning, when he heard one during the night. The local police say that they can always tell when a new person moves in, because they eventually get a call about someone being murdered out in the woods. terryboc, that must have been quite a sight to see. IÂve yet to see a hawk make a score up close and personal, except over at the raptor center in Quechee, VT, which just isnÂt the same. With all the small, furry critters running around out there, I always find the hawks, eagles, etc. to be a welcome sight. narcnh Here is a link that might be useful: VINS Nature (Raptor) Center