Bespoke oak pergolas, crafted for timeless outdoor spaces
Sitting Spiritually designs and crafts luxury oak pergolas in the South West of England using prime European oak and marine-grade stainless fixings. These are enduring garden structures - refined in detail, strong in build, and made to live outdoors, mellowing to a beautiful silver over time.
Choose an oak pergola to define a terrace, create a shaded seating area, or provide a dedicated frame for a garden swing seat or swinging day bed. Each pergola is made with considered scale and can be tailored to suit your space, layout and intended use.
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Commonly Asked Questions Around Pergolas
Which pergola do I need?
It depends on what it will carry and the space you have. The Pergola is our standard four-post oak frame, built to carry a swing seat or day bed, in two, three and four-seat sizes. A pergola arch is two posts and a crossbar, made to fit a path or gateway and able to carry a swing if we size it for one. A bespoke pergola is drawn for your garden, from your measurements or your designer's plans.
Why do you build pergolas in green oak?
Because green oak is the traditional timber for large oak frames, and it gets tighter as it ages. Sections of this size are cut and jointed while the oak is still green. Over the first year or two it seasons in your garden, shrinking as it dries, which pulls the joints tighter. Our swing seats and day beds are made from air-dried oak instead, because furniture needs to stay true in a way a structural frame does not.
Will a green oak pergola crack or move?
Yes, a little, and it is expected. As green oak seasons it opens checks along the grain, sometimes wide ones on large posts, and may move slightly at the joints. These do not weaken the frame. They tend to settle after the first couple of years. Tannin also washes out in the first season, so stand the posts clear of pale paving, especially Indian sandstone, or expect brown marks that weather away.
How is your pergola different from a standard garden pergola?
It is built to carry movement. A pergola for climbing plants holds a still load from above. Ours holds a swing seat or day bed, the people on it and the sideways pull every time it swings, so the posts and beams are larger and the joints are cut and fixed for that load. Every pergola is built in full in our workshop and every joint checked before it leaves.
Do I need planning permission for a pergola?
Usually not, in England, if it is in a back garden and within the height limits for permitted development: no more than 2.5m tall within 2m of a boundary, or 3m elsewhere. Our standard pergola is well under 2.5m. You are more likely to need permission if the house is listed, in a conservation area or national landscape, or is a flat. Rules differ in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Check with your local planning authority if in any doubt; we cannot give formal planning advice.
How is a pergola fixed down?
On soft ground, the posts are set in concrete, which is the firmest footing for a frame that carries a swing. On paving, patios or decking, stainless steel fixing-down shoes bolt the posts to the surface with no groundwork. Tell us what the base is when you order, and wait until delivery before laying slabs for the feet.
Can you work with my garden designer or landscaper?
Yes. We regularly work from designers' and landscapers' drawings and can supply CAD drawings and loading data for your project. We design in oak as standard, or in larch or Douglas fir where a project calls for it. Nothing is cut until you are happy with the drawing and the price.
How do I secure the pergola in my garden?
On soft ground, we provide extended legs as standard, designed to be concreted into the ground for maximum stability - the most secure option for a structure supporting a swing seat. On hard standing, paving or decking, we offer stainless steel shoes that bolt to the surface cleanly, with no groundwork required. Both methods maintain the correct height and level of the structure. If you have an unusual base or a complex site, it's worth mentioning at enquiry stage so we can advise.
How much does a pergola cost?
The Pergola on its own is £5,620 for a two-seat, £5,940 for a three-seat and £6,100 for a four-seat, or from £8,645 with a swing seat. Pergola arches start from £3,210 and bespoke pergolas from £6,420. Prices include VAT. Delivery and installation are quoted for your postcode.
How long does a pergola take?
The Pergola takes 6 to 8 weeks to make, and pergola arches 4 to 6 weeks. Bespoke pergolas depend on the design; we give you a date with the quote. Installation of a standard pergola with a seat usually takes one working day.
Can I grow climbers over it?
Yes. Wisteria, roses, honeysuckle and clematis all do well on oak and look right against it as it silvers. If the pergola carries a swing, train climbers up the posts and across the top, and keep growth clear of the seat's arc and the hanging fixings.
Can I add a pergola to a seat I already own?
In most cases we can. Our pergola is sized for our own swing seats and day beds, so if yours is one of ours we can match it. If it came from elsewhere, send us its dimensions, weight and hanging points and we will tell you whether a pergola can be made to carry it.
Where the garden becomes a room
From courtyard arches to vine-clad pavilions, our oak pergolas are commissioned to shape outdoor space and live in it well. Hear from the people who own them.
Blown away by the first-class workmanship
From our first visit to Martin at Sitting Spiritually in Lyme Regis, right up until the delivery of our wonderful seat and pergola a few days ago, the professionalism and service from everyone involved, has been second to none.
The craftsmanship and design is superb, resulting in a work of art and a fabulously comfortable seat. Master craftsmen in these days of mass production are a joy to find.
William Morris’s wish was that the contents of our homes ( and of course our gardens! ) should be either beautiful or useful. Well, with our Sitting Spiritually commission, we have both!
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Featured Bespoke Oak Pergolas Blogs
Expert guidance and garden design advice for our stunning range of handmade garden pergolas.
A Sitting Spiritually Wooden Pergola
Each bespoke pergola is made using extra large timbers of green premium-grade oak.
Our expert joiners use only sapwood-free, knot-free wood—so it won’t twist, split, or rot over time. For the purposes of longevity and security, our pergolas can be concreted down or fixed to a suitable surface. We also pre-build each pergola entirely from scratch in our Devon and Dorset workshops to ensure the timbers will neatly slot into the joints upon delivery. So there will be no delay when it comes to enjoying your new handcrafted Pergola and Arbour Swing Seat!
We also offer a full installation service if you prefer to have us build your pergola on site.
Not sure if a veranda or pergola is right for you? Read our guide where we take you through different type of structures and which is most suitable for your garden.
Looking for something a bit special? You might wish to add lights to your pergola for that stunning homely touch.
Designed to sit on any surface
Hard Ground:
For firm ground, we can provide stainless steel 'shoes' (as seen on the left image) for all four legs of the Pergola that simply screw into the ground for a beautiful clean finish.
Soft Ground:
We provide longer legs as standard to allow for digging in and concreting in place, meaning the core structure and height remains perfectly in place.
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