I think that would be lovely!

Wow what a great yard you have! Yes I think and arch would be lovely. So much room for roses, I would be bankrupt if that were my yard haha!

Be careful that the arch is big enough, unless the idea is to put it behind the bench.

Beautiful land! You have room for 5000 roses! I'd build a carriage house/ barn there as a rose barn and plant ramblers all around it. You need a barn not an arch. :-) I love country barns, but I don't have any.

Dingo,

Before you start putting one of this and one of that in, things that may have no cohesion and lack harmony/continuity, sit down and draw up a master plan.

Do tons of research.

What is your vision for the gardening/landscaping of your property? Pinpoint your vision.

Then you can proceed to build upon your vision, step by step, adding landscape and hardscape material as you realize your vision.

An arch, if part of your vision, then can be added.

If your arch is a walk under arch as most are, their function other than having a support upon which to grow climbing roses, indicates a doorway, passageway from one distinct place to another different place. If it is just plopped down in the middle of a bed it may appear a bit odd. However, if it is placed on the edge of your paved area with perhaps a short brick landing under it, leading, transitioning you from the patio to the lawn, that would make sense.

BTW, how glad I am to see a paved (concrete?), patio instead of a pressure treated deck type monstrosity. When they first became popular in suburbia many years ago I looked on them at the time as: tacky, dangerous, maintenance headaches, "keep up with the Joneses symbols," and affronts to the eyes. I still do.

Moses

I was going to tell her the same thing Lily. You need to search for aprilscott12 and look for her post or wait. I will tell her to post you a pic if you want? She has several arbors on a pathway with lights that will knock your socks off. She's my sister in law and I've copied her and made a path of arbors myself but just getting it going. Hope to add a few lights here and there too. Judy

Moses, I like the look of a paved patio too, but we can't have it in our backyard. We have a basement, there is a big drop between the patio door and yard, it's about 4' or more, so we have to have a wooden deck, it's safer to have a deck than a sudden drop patio outside. Yes, it's high maintenance, have to paint it every 3 -4 years...... and it's due this year.

If I had that lovely patio, I'd put posts along the patio walk and all the way around the circle, link the posts up with big ropes on top, plant some fragrant climbers to climb on the posts......

April's arches are beautiful, she has a lot of them.

Julie, you have a beautiful back yard. Have fun with it!

Oh wow you guys thanks for all the ideas! Moses I'm not good about planning ahead, I should probably try it sometime so my yard doesn't look so cracked out :). Mad, you are right about the bench - I think one that's comfy would be bigger and sit in front. I remember April's post - been in the back of my head, I just loved the look of it and would love to have my yard look even half so nice. Summer I love the idea of the posts. One of my challenges is planting strategically to avoid the dogs trampling things, the posts would be great.

Oh and thanks for the patio comments - it's concrete - was a big project 2 years ago, there's a patio all along the back of the house that needed re done, we added the walk and yard area where there used to be an above ground pool. Love the concrete, no maintenance, no fuss. Tore up the yard to do it though :)

Worth the effort. You'll be rejoicing for years to come.

Moses

Julie, I see there is a door in one of the photos, so your house door is on the same level as your patio. That's really nice. I'd love that. Don't you have a basement in Chicagoland? I am just wondering. :-)

I love the view between the tall trees at the rear. It extends your 'yard'. Hopefully it will never be blocked as it turns your space into a magic retreat.

Still confused at where you were thinking to place the arch.

Hey Summer - it's on a slope, I think the door you see is on the screen porch. We do have a basement thankfully. Here's an older pic I think right when the patios were done

Iris gal was thinking way in the back to the left of the round bed back there.

What a pretty house! Love the porch too! Slope is so nice to have for building a patio. You have so much ROOM for roses, what are you waiting for all these years? :-) Now I am going back dreaming about country living, there is no land here in our suburb.......your view is so beautiful!

Wow if I had that much space I'd put in a support like they use for grape vines. I can't remember what it's called. Anyway about the arch, I did have one and the bench was behind the arch. In time the roses will need that extra room. I had to keep moving the bench back. Good luck, beautiful yard!

What I would do with a yard like that, lol! I would recommend checking out the arch that sold at Aldi. If you guy two, you can connect them to create a round pergola. I have mine anchored in pots with Don Juans planted in each pot.