I have an arbor - a ramada, we call it here in the Southwest - with a grapevine growing up over the patio on the southwest corner of my house. It keeps the hot summer morning sun from heating the windows and the walls in that part of the house, filtering the harsh light and providing a leafy green cool that is soothing and refreshing. The birds (and, once in a while, a raccoon) love the grapes - I don't get very many. Then, in the fall, the leaves fall off, the sun shines through the windows, and the inside space is warmed and lit with bright light.
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Cool Arbor
What I think is especially cool about this is that it doesn't seem especially "green," it just is. With some conscious planning and design, you've managed to build something that fits right into the natural cycles of life and death and hot and cold weather. This is really what it's all about I think. It looks quite beautiful too.
- maxmsf