People are just finding out why pergolas have gaps in them and my mind has been blown

With this insane heatwave in the UK, everyone’s outside in the garden sitting under their pergolas, but what is the point of them? A tweet has gone viral asking why they have gaps in, and the answer has honestly blown my mind.

Wooden and metal pergolas are a common feature of gardens across the world, with lots of people choosing to put their tables and chairs under them, but they have gaps in them, so the sun just shines through the gaps and makes awkward lines. If the structure isn’t even going to provide shade, what is the actual point?

“I always wonder too, first of all, they are ugly and my brain always thinks they are unfinished, because… why would you do that?,” one person said on Twitter.

Another agreed: “We have a pergola on our deck. I hate it. Useless. It doesn’t shade you, it doesn’t shield you from rain, and it doesn’t shield you from bird shit. No real function. I want him to take it down and build a hard top gazebo in its place.”

Help me understand, what is the point of a pergola?
Is it for people who want striped tans? pic.twitter.com/7i3Hj13VtC

— Sovey (@SoveyX) April 29, 2026

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But, it turns out, the problem is that nobody’s using them for their intended purpose. Pergolas are actually supposed to have plants grown over them! Yep, the idea is that you build the wooden structure and then grow climbing plants like wisteria or ivy across the horizontal beams. Eventually, it covers the entire roof, providing shade while also making the garden look pretty.

It makes so much more sense now! Somewhere along the line, people have stopped growing plants over the top and instead have these pretty pointless wooden structures in their garden that don’t really do much at all. The post has had 6.1 million views on TikTok and 1.2 million more on Twitter, so it turns out, loads of people had no idea you were supposed to grow plants on it.

“They’re not meant to be like this. You’re supposed to use them as a frame/support/anchor for light and fragrant plants that help provide real shade but also allow in light and some scenery,” someone explained. “The plants should not be allowed to become so thick as to block light or air.” I feel so stupid now.

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Featured image credit: Twitter