A vegetable garden should be a source of beauty as well as a perfect source of low-cost, healthy and tasty food. It's also a great place to center oneself when the world gets a little hectic. I have always incorporated flowers into my garden. Besides being beneficial in terms of attracting the good, the bad and the ugly, then lend color and dimension and often a bit of whimsy.

But one does not have to stop there. In my previous article, Ready Set Run, I explained how simple it is to construct tepees for runner beans. These can also be situated as an entryway for a garden. By placing them approximately 4 feet apart and adding a cross pole to them you can let your beans or trailing vines move up and across to each other, creating a delightful archway.

The traditional curved arbor does not take much more work. Gather together a good sharp hand saw, a pair or pruners or loping shears, about 100 feet of copper wire (#14 or #16) and a paid of needle-nosed pliers.

Find a free source for saplings. Maple and ash work well, but cedar will last longer if you want this to be a more permanent structure. Look for tall thin saplings which are 1 to 1 ½ inches in diameter for a foot off the ground. For an arbor roughly 9' high you will need six good strong saplings (uprights) from 10 to 12 feet high. This will also provide a width of about 54" and a depth of about 42". Obviously you can alter these measurements to suit your needs. Also keep in mind it is best to use the saplings the day they are cut when they are most pliable.

Figure out your size and location. If you soil is soft you will be able to insert the uprights right into the ground. If the soil is hard you will need to use a pipe or iron bar to make holes in the soil.

Prepare the six upright saplings by removing all of the side branches. Put three uprights into the ground on each side about 20" apart. The uprights are bent in pairs until they meet and overlap, creating the rounded arch.

You will need to stand on a step ladder at this point, and it's also helpful to have another pair of hands. Slowly bend each piece, flexing as you go, starting from the thin end. Keep a piece of copper wire, about 18" long, draped around your neck. Once overlapped and brought together, wrap them with the wire to secure.

Try to keep the three arches the same height. If the uprights are not perfectly parallel, don't worry. This can be adjusted during the next phase when you begin adding cross pieces.

Weave the first cross pieces, 48-52" wide and a ½ to ¾ inch in diameter through the three uprights about 4' up from the ground. Attach with wire and repeat on the other side. Be sure to twist the joints tight with needle-nose pliers. Repeat on the other side and work your way up. Run a cross piece across the top and affix with wire again.

Your basic framework is completed. Add additional crosspieces where necessary to further strengthen as needed. Then add some whimsey. Perhaps a heart along the side. Use your imagination.

If you are using cedar, you can plant perennial vines. If, instead, you are using other wood plant annuals since the structure probably has a life of not more than 5 years. Red runner beans or hops are an excellent annual choice.

Give it a try. Add some architectural distinction to your garden. This is a project that will provide visual and spiritual beauty to your garden. A project that can involve both the plants and the family, and you. Plan your grand entrance now!