Garden Trellis

Nothing presents your garden in its true colors better than a garden trellis.

What is a garden trellis and what is it used for?
A garden trellis is a lattice of thin bars, usually nailed where they cross and used to support plants and vines.

A garden trellis is most useful for providing a framework on which flowering plants can grow to create a beautiful focal point in your yard. Gardens can also be divided into separate and distinct garden "rooms" with a garden trellis or two. A garden trellis adds vertical height as well as an air of permanence to your garden, while being inexpensive and easy to maintain. All in all, a garden trellis is a wonderful structure to add to a flower garden.

A long history
Though no mention is made of a garden trellis in the very first garden, their history nonetheless stretches back thousands of years.

Some of the oldest illustrations of the garden trellis appear in the garden frescoes of Pompeii and Herculaneum. The Romans used the garden trellis as we do, to form a demarcation between areas of a garden and to support plants. First century Roman lawyer, author, and philosopher Pliny the Younger wrote about a garden trellis in his celebrated Garden Letters.

The next appearance of the garden trellis in history can be found in illustrations of medieval castle gardens where a garden trellis was used to create secluded garden nooks and to support sweet-scented plants. The garden trellis was also widely used in Renaissance gardens and was later utilized during the late nineteenth century Arts and Crafts movement.

Things to keep in mind
Because flowers and vines will grow tightly in, on, and around the garden trellis, it will be difficult to maintain the structure. A plastic or vinyl garden trellis will be the longest-lasting option, but if you choose a garden trellis made of wood, make sure it is decay-resistant and of good quality.

The amount of sun and moisture the area around your garden trellis should be taken into consideration when choosing the flowers or plants you plan to put around it. Permanence is another concern when placing a garden trellis. If you think you'll want to move the garden trellis to a new location next year, or are not sure you will like the location down the road, plant annuals around it to make it easier to move.