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
What pergola options do you offer?
We make three types of pergola, each suited to a different situation. The Standard Pergola is our core structure - a substantial oak frame designed to house a swing seat or swinging day bed, available in sizes to suit two, three or four-seater configurations, with optional professional installation. The Pergola Arch is a simpler goalpost form, bespoke in size, ideal for smaller gardens, urban spaces or anywhere a full four-post frame would overwhelm the setting - it works equally well as a swing seat support or a stand-alone garden feature for climbing plants. Our Bespoke Pergola service is for larger, more complex commissions - designed and built to your exact dimensions, from a sketch or technical drawing, including collaboration with garden designers and landscapers. If you're unsure which is right for your garden, a conversation is the easiest place to start.
What timber do you use, and why does the grade matter?
We use prime-grade, joinery-quality oak - and the grade is not a detail to overlook. Most pergolas in the UK are built from standard green oak which, once it dries, can carry knots and sapwood that cause twisting and long-term deterioration. We specify timber that is clear of both. Sapwood - the paler outer part of the tree - will rot within five years in an outdoor structure; our timber contains none. All timber is FSC-certified. For Pergola Arches and bespoke commissions, we also work in prime-grade larch and Douglas Fir, depending on the project. The result is a structure that looks clean, sits true and remains stable through the years.
How is a Sitting Spiritually pergola different from a standard garden pergola?
The most significant difference is structural intent. A conventional pergola is designed to support its own weight and the weight of climbing plants. Ours are over-engineered beyond that - built to carry the dynamic load of a swing seat and its occupants in continuous motion. The timbers are larger than you'd typically find, jointed traditionally and reinforced throughout with stainless steel fixings. Each pergola is also pre-built in full in our Devon workshops before it leaves - so every component is tested against every joint before delivery, and nothing is left to chance on installation day.
How long does a pergola take to make?
The standard pergola is made to order in 6–8 weeks. Pergola Arches typically take 4–6 weeks, subject to scope and timber availability. Fully bespoke commissions vary depending on complexity - we'll give you a specific lead time at the point of enquiry. Every pergola is pre-built in full in our workshop before delivery, which means the on-site assembly is straightforward and reliable. If you have a specific date in mind - a garden opening, a summer event, a landscaping project timeline - tell us early and we'll do our best to accommodate.
Can you work with garden designers and landscapers?
Yes - and it's a collaboration we enjoy. We can design and build from dimensions alone, from basic line drawings, or from full technical specifications. We're comfortable working to a designer's brief alongside other contractors on a project, and can advise on what's structurally feasible within a given footprint or aesthetic. For complex bespoke commissions, an early conversation is the most useful starting point. Please get in touch directly and we'll take it from there.
Do I need planning permission for a pergola?
In most cases, no. Garden structures of this kind typically fall within permitted development rights for residential properties, meaning planning permission is not required. However, there are exceptions - listed buildings, flats, and some conservation areas may have restrictions. If you're in any doubt, it's worth a quick check with your local planning authority before commissioning. We can advise based on typical structures but cannot provide formal planning guidance.
How is the pergola delivered and installed?
You have two options. The pergola can be delivered as a pre-built kit - every component numbered and pre-fitted in our workshop, with clear assembly instructions and a video guide, designed to be assembled by a competent carpenter or builder in a day. Alternatively, our team can deliver and install on-site, assembling the complete structure and - if a swing seat or day bed is included - hanging it and setting it up ready to use. For the standard pergola with swing seat, installation typically takes around one working day. We'll talk through which option suits your situation at the point of ordering.
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.
Can I use a pergola with a swing seat or day bed I already own?
Possibly - though we'd need to check compatibility. Our standard pergola is specifically engineered to work with our own swing seat and swinging day bed ranges, and the proportions are designed to match. If you're buying a seat and pergola together, they'll be sized and specified to work as a unit. If you have an existing seat and want to add a pergola, or vice versa, get in touch and we'll advise on whether and how it can work.
Can climbing plants be grown up a pergola?
Yes - and they're one of the most beautiful things you can do with one. The structure is built to support the weight of established climbers over time. Roses, wisteria, honeysuckle and clematis are among the most popular choices, creating a living canopy that changes with the seasons. Oak mellows naturally to a soft silver-grey outdoors, which provides a quiet, unobtrusive backdrop for planting. The only consideration if you're combining climbers with a swing seat is to plan the planting so growth doesn't interfere with the swing's arc or restrict comfortable access.
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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