NancyLouis

Haven't a clue. I would prefer the copper arbor as well but that probably makes me wrong.

You should rephrase this a bit because I don't understand if the arbor will be standing independently or against a structure. If the former, I am willing to bet your husband is on-point.

It will be a stand alone arbor. On the left and right side of the arbor are the wisteria vines. They are very well established vines(12+ years old)started out as wisteria trees, now more of a high bush effect. Bottom 2 feet of trunk have no branches then WAM! branches galore. So the arbor will be plunked down in the open space between the 2 vines. Approx. 4 feet of open space separating the vines. NancyLouise

I cannot conceive how you would construct a copper arbor so it would withstand the weight of established, happy and disobedient wysteria.

My best suggestion is to get a picture of your house and your house with the adjacent desired position of the arbor, and post it to Landcape Design as an issue of "what suits the house better" Somewhere down the line someone will pick up the issue of the weight.

Good luck.

I'm afraid Hubby may be right. I don't know of a copper trellis that could withstand the weight of the lovely Wisteria. However, maybe you could put copper wiring over the wooden trellis to give you both the stability as well as the patina you like. You would have to be careful of the design so the copper wouldn't look like an afterthought.

My experience with Wisteria is that most trellises are covered pretty quickly by the rapid-growing vine.

Thanks for the responses. Wishful thinking on my part I guess to make it out of copper. But at least I'm finally getting an arbor for the wisteria! Wood it will just have to be. Thanks again, NancyLouise