Moon Gates

In my spare time(!) I am slowly designing my friends garden. It is a really fun project, as the inspiration is Alice in Wonderland. Her garden is already quite overgrown and magical, but there is a lot of untapped space, that could be much improved. One idea that she definitely wants is a Moon Gate. Conceptually it is the 'looking glass' that you walk through into Wonderland. Traditionally Moon Gates are in Chinese gardens, and there is also a history of them in the Carribean. I think the Chinese ones are the most beautiful as they frame what is beyond like a painting. I want to create a 'hide and reveal' effect in the garden.....what you see through the moon gate before you enter, is not actually what you get when you step inside.

I have been looking at precedent images, as I am looking for the most inexpensive way to build one. Obviously the dry stone and rendered walls look fantastic, but they are not a viable option moneywise. I think something in timber could be quite interesting, or maybe even some type of gabion structure. It could even be an unattractive structure that is covered in Ivy.
Other ideas for the garden include a claw foot bath as a water feature/pond, mass planting of perennials, and brightly colored bulbs. Plinths set amongst meadow planting, where she can display architectural salvage objects she collects. I am going to track the design process here, so as to keep track of my ideas.