If you search for a gazebo you’ll quickly see a myriad of options in different shapes, sizes, styles, colours, and even materials. We’ve even dived into ‘what is a gazebo‘ ourselves to get to the bottom of this enigmatic garden building.

To keep it simple, we’ve divided the answer based on two simple questions. Do you want something temporary, or permanent?

Are you hosting a party or BBQ?

And you want your garden back to normal afterwards?

You might want a temporary pop-up gazebo. Cheaper than permanent structures, they also have the advantage of letting you have either a gazebo when needed, or a wide open garden when you’ve finished. Especially useful if you have a smaller garden and want to comfortably host a lot of people. 

The pop-up in the name refers to how easy they are to erect. Telescopic legs can control the height and a folding prebuilt roof means you have the rigidity you need to stand against the weather. They will go up in minutes and will take up minimal storage space when not in use giving you maximum time to prepare the rest of the party.

Or do you want a more permanent outdoor social space?

If you want the best gazebo for the wind, rain and everything else weather related then you’ll want a more permanent solution. You’ll see options in wood and metal. So let’s have a look at each.

Metal Gazebos

The pop-up gazebo range usually falls under this category but we can focus more on the permanent ones. 

The first thing to consider is the style of the gazebo, Metal offers a contemporary sleeker design than wood. Metal will be cheaper to buy and easier to construct and require less maintenance, ensuring your gazebo looks wonderful for as long as possible. 

Wooden Gazebos

Is it a gazebo? Is it a pagoda? Are the two mutually exclusive? Yes, yes, no. There’s a lot of debate (not just internally at Primrose) about what is a gazebo, and most of it centres around the wooden ones. Fact is, they are gazebos, while marquees (with their canvas) can also count as gazebos if a few sides are up.

Wooden gazebos stand out for their style, a real centre of attention and place to relax and unwind. Some even have tables in for drinking and dining on a sunny afternoon or evening! They’re a bit more expensive, but they stand the test of time. Just look at a stately home and you’re sure to find a wooden gazebo on the grounds.