14 Trellis Ideas That Will Add Beauty and Interest to Your Garden (2024)

FAQs

How do you make a beautiful trellis? ›

A common shape for trellises is the tower or obelisk – having vines or flowers grow in the shape of a large towering structure is beautiful, as it's a shape that you rarely see in the wild.

“Specifically for growing plants, cattle panels make a good alternative to a more traditional trellis,” says Erich Schumacher of Trellis Structures in East Templeton, Massachusetts. “You could also use driftwood or reclaimed wood to create a surface for plants to grow on.

Some gardeners place trellises at an angle to absorb maximum sunlight, and so that fruit hangs freely from the lower side of the trellis for easier harvest. To try this, set the stakes in the ground so that the trellis will face south, and will lean over the soil just north of it.

The trellis must be large enough for the plant to grow. Some plants look best on posts and pergolas, so think carefully whether it can be trained to grow well against a wall. Think light, food and water before planting – make sure the plant can access all 3. If you don't the plant will become very high maintenance!

The easiest trellis to build is a simple A-frame shape, made from something as simple as bamboo and tied together with twine.

A lattice is made up of wooden strips that cross each other, most commonly, in a square or diagonal pattern. A trellis is a wooden frame that's used to support climbing plants. You'll also occasionally see the words arbor and pergola being used with lattice and trellis.

We recommend a trellis that's tall enough to accommodate growing vines, but not so tall that you'd have to stretch to pick. Our trellises measure 6 feet tall, but anywhere from 4 to 6 feet will work for growing most vining plants vertically. If your vines begin to grow out of hand, pinch off the top tip of the vine.

For a simple vegetable trellis that will last for a few seasons, attach plastic netting, also known as poultry netting to two pound-in metal garden stakes. You're done in a few minutes!

This cheap and easy garden trellis is made with two items. This Grip-Rite Ladder Mesh Block (currently $4.27 each – I paid $3.57 last year) at Home Depot and zip ties. That's it! You simply zip tie how ever many you'd like to use and arch them into your bed.

What is a free standing trellis called? ›

A trellis can be free-standing or anchored into the ground. Most obelisks are usually free-standing, pyramid-shaped, and are often called Eiffel Towers as well. What is this? All can be constructed from various materials such as wood, plastic, and metals like iron, aluminum, etc.

String Trellis

Trellises do not need to be complicated or expensive. A simple string trellis made of twine or jute strung between two posts provides all the support a cucumber needs to climb.

Let Cucumbers Climb

Trellised cucumbers are easier to pick and less susceptible to disease. Cucumbers do best if they can climb instead of spread over the ground. The tendrils of the vines will grab fences, string, wire trellis, or tall cages so that the vines climb the structures.

There are two materials most commonly used to build trellises, wood and welded metal. The advantage to using wood is it is less expensive, and it is easier to build oneself. However, it does not last as long as metal, and thick canes can break the more flimsy wood apart, destroying the trellis over time.