Garden bridges can be built from scratch or they can be purchased as a kit that’s ready to assemble. Garden bridge kits start around $125 for small, 4-foot decorative bridges and range up to around $3,000 for highly elaborate 8-foot-long bridges with railings, trellises, and flower boxes. Many garden bridges are curved and have elaborate railings reminiscent of bridges in fairy tales. By contrast, this bridge is all about natural simplicity: a slight upward arc and 18 deck boards across two stringers. The bridge blends seamlessly with the garden pathway. But what really stands out is the garden bridge across the artificial creek. Stained red, it really pops out as the centerpiece of the gardens. It’s also a garden bridge that performs the function of taking people from one place to another place—rare for most garden bridges. Yet the ravine at Ilam Gardens is too deep and steep for visitors to cross, so the garden bridge performs a valuable service. The wood is left unstained and unsealed so that the gardens take visual precedence, not the bridge. What really stands out about this bridge:
Balusters: The balusters are fan-shaped simply because they look great; no actual functional purpose for this. All-vertical balusters are fine, but these fanned-out ones fit more with the undulating curves of a garden.Railing: Most garden bridges, if they have a railing, will have two railings. Yet since the railings are non-functional in most cases, why not have just one railing? It’s a stylistic flourish that distinguishes this garden bridge from others.Color: The dark color matches the pagoda and promotes the yard’s overall style.
