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The only way is up, as these lush ideas prove. Scaffolding Props
Spring has officially sprung, and after spending much of the past few months cooped up inside, we’re ready to bring our design chops outside. Once those warmer months roll around, patios and balconies typically receive our undivided aesthetic attention, but why stop there? If you have a growing green thumb and want to bring a touch of glamour to your garden, a trellis is a great place to start.
“Trellises can be a beautiful addition to any garden and serve different purposes depending on your gardening needs and garden design,” designer Daniella Villamil explains. “From serving as support to climbing plants or veggies to hiding plain walls by allowing vines to grow, trellises can add a personal touch to your garden while being budget-friendly.”
As a long-standing staple in horticultural design, a trellis hits that sweet spot between sensibility and style. Not only can a trellis provide plenty of support for vining plants like ivy and wisteria, but it can also create shade and privacy once your structure is in full bloom. From intricate wrought-iron designs to minimalist bamboo screens, trellises can also add depth and texture to a garden, creating a visually stunning backdrop for any outdoor space.
Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just starting out, a trellis can take garden design to new heights—literally—yet choosing the right setup for your space is by no means easy. Though trellises might serve the same purpose, the assortment of shapes, sizes, and materials gives gardeners plenty to consider. Before you buy or DIY a trellis, it’s important to think about the specific needs of your plants, such as sunlight, shade, and water. From there, you’ll also want to think about how you’d like to incorporate your trellis into your overall design. While some horticulturalists prefer a standalone obelisk, others will want to add a trellis to their fencing, pergola, or home’s facade.
If you’re in need of inspiration, we’re sharing some gorgeous garden trellis ideas to add to your space. From easy DIY projects to extravagant additions, the spaces below are equal parts beautiful and blooming.
As this garden designed by Janice Parker proves, opposites attract. “A clean, modern stainless steel trellis of cables looks beautiful on a rustic wall, as well as on a smooth surface planted with white climbing roses,” the landscape architect explains. Not only are thin stainless steel wires strong enough to support your growing flora, but they look almost invisible when paired with a textured wall. Just be careful about where you put the (ahem) petal to the metal. “We [don’t] put the trellis on the side of a painted wood surface of a house or a barn, as when it comes time to repaint the structure, it becomes very difficult,” Parker adds.
If you want to make your trellis pop, consider affixing a thick wooden structure to your garage or barn. “A trellis is a timeless way to create architectural interest in a garden, as well as showcase a plethora of flowering vines,” designer Kristina Phillips explains. “They evoke a sort of romantic English garden feel—and can be kept clipped or left rambling.” Though the white roses here certainly speak for themselves, the bold lattice creates a country contrast as you wait for those flowers to bloom.
You don’t need to have an opulent water fountain or pergola to elevate your garden’s design. Instead, let your trellis work overtime to deliver on form and function. “Nothing is better than an arched iron trellis over an urn planted with apricot campsis vines,” Janice Parker adds.
Trellises often come in a variety of woods and metals, so juxtaposing materials can be an effective way to bring a homey quality to your garden. Don't believe us? Just take a look at this stunning space from Janice Parker. “A 25-year-old trellis is one of my favorite projects,” she shares. “The trellis is teak with concrete columns and bluestone caps and is planted with purple flowering wisteria.”
No sprawling garden? No problem. It’s possible to bring a great garden trellis idea to any home—yes, even one that lacks a big backyard. Here, blogger Jenna Sue affixed two expanding trellises to the exterior of her home so her bougainvilleas had a convenient place to grow. Bonus: This tip is easy, affordable, and adds a textural touch to her stucco facade.
Did you know that a trellis can turn any archway into a grand entrance? Case in point: This arbor from Jenna Sue Design. By adding white flowering bushes at the base, the star jasmine vining up the trellises takes on a whimsical attitude. It’s almost as if the two species seamlessly blend into each other.
Blogger Diana Elizabeth Steffen wanted to fill a large blank wall in her backyard with something visually appealing. Her solution: Grab some floral wiring and make a series of diamond-shaped trellises. The trick, however, is to find the proper size.
“We have a smaller diamond trellis in another area of our backyard in 22-inch diamonds, and it was a lot to maintain,” she says. “Since the wall in our new kitchen garden was longer, I made the decision to make the diamonds larger [42-inches-wide] to make maintaining it easier.’
Make your garden trellis one with Mother Nature with a series of pea and bean sticks, a tactic used for growing (you guessed it!) peas and beans. All you need to do is dig some sturdy poles into the ground and fasten them with some wire or rope. Though it’s a simple function-first concept, it’ll bring an ethereal edge to your growing garden.
Use a trellis to frame a large window or pocket door, as designer Phillip Thomas did here. “It’s one of my favorite ‘tricks’ to create an outdoor ‘room’ in a garden or emphasize an architectural element on a home, like an entrance,” he shares. “Whether literal like lattice or hidden on a column, a trellis with climbing flowers adds texture and depth to an otherwise simple detail.” An indoor-outdoor lifestyle has never looked so good.
If you have an ultragreen thumb and want to take your backyard to the next level, think beyond the traditional garden. For designer Georgia Tapert Howe, an all-encompassing trellis can be an excellent addition to a pool house, shed, or conversation alcove. “We had an empty space off the pool house that we built out with a plaster banquette and trained beautiful bougainvillea to climb up the sides of the structure,” she shares. “My client calls it her Rose Den.”
While fences are a nonnegotiable for most suburbanites, they’re not necessarily stylish. So why not blend your fence and garden together? British landscaping firm Cube 1994 added a row of trellises to the top of a barrier, proving that the only way to go is up.
Speaking of your fencing features, give your barriers a dash of drama by adding a trellis to your raised garden bed. Though it will inevitably take some time to grow, you’ll eventually wind up with a lush partition—not to mention a visual break from your typical fence. Need an example? Take a gander at this on-point project from Emily Bowser.
Just because you opt for a simple wooden trellis doesn’t mean your setup’s a snooze fest. Designer Eddie Ross brought some major visual intrigue to his front yard’s garden by strategically placing these trellises around the small windows. A garden tip that can pack on the curb appeal? Yes, please.
In case you forgot, trellises aren’t the only way to spruce up a garden. If you want to create the illusion of lush, gorgeous grounds, try adding planters at the bottom of the trellis. With a white plaster planter and light wood trellis, this arrangement from Shavonda Gardner draws the eye upward while adding a fun jungle quality to this humble shed.
Care for your vining plants—and add a sun-dappled respite to your garden—with a lush pergola. The wooden structure in Ina Garten’s yard is perfectly peppered in clematis. Meanwhile, a simple bench offers a convenient spot to kick back and relax.
Or if you want to merge a bench and a trellis into a single structure, take a cue from Charlotte Moss. “Inspired by chestnut woven structures at Le Prieuré d’Orsan in France, my garden seat was woven out of willow by Giles Guillot, the master gardener at Le Prieuré,” the designer says. “Miniature pear and apple cordons align with each rib.” Bonus points: Once the plants grow up this trellis, you’ll have plenty of shade while you enjoy the view.
When most people think of trellises, they might envision a vertical structure to help their plants grow nice and tall. But if you want a more natural, wild shape, a horizontal trellis can ensure your greens grow up and out.
Though a trellis is designed to support your winding plants, you’ll want to consider how it looks before your greens are in full bloom. Grids and diamonds might be the go-to shapes; however, A Beautiful Mess shook things up with a cool midcentury-inspired repeat. It’s a walk down memory lane we’ll take any day.
Or if your personal taste skews toward the more minimalist end of the spectrum, take a cue from Vienta of the Handyman’s Daughter. Not only does the wooden trellis seamlessly blend into the fencing, but the deconstructed pattern also looks just like a piece of abstract art.
Think of an obelisk trellis as an exclamation point of your landscape strategy. Whether you add one in the middle of your sprawling garden or place it on your patio, this height-defying structure is a practical way to add some visual intrigue. Just ask Ursula Carmona, who made this copper version from scratch.
“I wanted something a little outside the norm for a trellis, and thought introducing copper pipe into a garden project would be charming and full of character,” the blogger explains. “The copper adds a little garden bling and can patina into a rustic but elegant look with time and wear.”
Kelsey Mulvey is a freelance lifestyle journalist, who covers shopping and deals for Good Housekeeping, Women's Health, and ELLE Decor, among others. Her hobbies include themed spinning classes, Netflix, and nachos.
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