Gardens existed before gardeners, but gardeners can claim credit for the idea of shelters and trellises, structures that allow us to come closer to and enjoy our plants more in their natural setting.

There is a wide variety of choices in garden shelters. This is a great time of year to focus on shelters and outdoor garden structures.

In a few weeks, when temperatures begin to drop, your attention will turn back to fall garden chores and away from structural aspects of the garden.

In essence, any structure in the garden with beams or a roof is a shelter. Each type has a name.

There are arbors, belvederes, bowers, casinos, gazebos, loggias, pergolas, porticos, shade trellises, screened-in porches, summer houses and more, but there is a lot of overlap in terminology.

Open-roof structures: Arbors, pergolas and shade trellises all have open roofs. An arbor consists of open rafters or lattice overhead, often designed as a support for vines or trained plants. A shade trellis sometimes has one wall that can serve as screening or wind protection or can attach to a house. Pergolas are a more formal structure, generally having three walls and pillars for support along an open front. Any of these will add interest and will be attractive with plants trained on it.

Solid-roof structures: Belvederes, gazebos, loggias and porticos are open-sided structures with solid roofs for protection against the elements. The term belvedere is applicable to any garden shelter sited where it commands an outstanding vista. The gazebo was developed for English gardens. The name is a derivation of a combination of English and Latin words meaning, "I shall gaze," and it was built to be a retreat with a view. A loggia is a covered open area overlooking a courtyard. Generally attached to a house, porticos are covered promenades. They were popularly used around pools in the Moorish-style gardens of Spain and decorated with mosaic tiles, carved pillars, fountains and formal rows of shrubs.

Enclosed garden structures: Bowers, casinos and screened-in porches are shelters that can function as summer houses or guest lodgings. A bower is a rustic structure often covered with branches and vines twined together. It could be used in a woodland garden or other natural setting. The casino was introduced in Italian landscape designs as formal entries onto an estate. Casinos were sculpturally very ornate. From the casino, which often doubled as guest quarters, visitors could enter the garden. The main house was usually located up a level on the other side of the garden. For the American-style garden shelter, screened-in porches make eating and spending time outdoors a pleasure without the annoyance of insects and inclement weather.

For more ideas, go to public gardens, or the local library for gardening and architectural books and magazines. Architectural Digest, Country Living Gardener and Fine Gardening are just a few magazines with articles and ads for a variety of structures.