Types of Garden Trellises
Trellising is a newer trend that adds visual interest, color, variety, and greenery to garden areas which otherwise might go bare. There is a wide variety of different garden trellis designs made of varying materials, and with constructions designed to suit different types of plant and vine life. The limit on where and how to use garden trellising begins and ends with your own imagination as well as the growing conditions your garden space has to offer. While some types of plant life may be able to use existing structures such as gazebos, walls, doorways, or fencing as a natural trellis, in many cases it may be necessary to install a trellis before planting the type of foliage that requires such support.
Types of Garden Trellises
There are many different types of garden trellises that can add the special touches you are seeking for your garden tableau. Wood trellises made of fragrant cedar or hardwood are durable, longlasting, and fit well with natural decor. Be sure to get a trellis that has been treated so that it is resistant to pests, such as borers, moisture-induced rotting, and harsh weather and sunlight conditions. Metal trellises are most often constructed of wrought or other iron material for durability and strength, as well as weather-resistant properties. Using a metal trellis brings a more elegant, formal appearance to a garden setting, and can be used as a standalone decorative piece as plant life grows. Vinyl trellises are most often constructed from treated PVC and are virtually indestructible, making them a true weather- and color fade-resistant asset to any garden setting. Twig trellises can be purchased from local nurseries, but are most often constructed from stray branches and a few nails right at home, adding a truly natural twist to a climbing vine.
How to Use Garden Trellises
When learning how to landscape with garden trellises, it can be helpful to know that garden trellising is often used to conceal problem areas such as an unattractive neighboring yard, a visible air conditioning unit or exposed pipe or drain, a storage shed, or other areas of low visual appeal. Garden trellises can also be used to brighten up bare areas of a yard or make a plain wall or entryway look more festive and inviting. Trellising can also be used as a privacy screen. Trellises can be affixed to a wall, either by simply attaching the trellis over an available flat surface or by creating an overhead trellis that attaches two structures together. Some trellis fixtures are freestanding and can be used as a standalone garden accent. Some freestanding trellises come with planter boxes attached, while others will need to be secured near free soil. Still others can serve as a kind of natural fence, with wire trellising stretched between iron poles.
When it comes to choosing the type of trellis for the vine, some vines need a lot of support as they grow while others are nearly self-sticking and can cling to nearly anything. Other types of vines will twine or twist around any available semi-open structure, such as a trellis or supportive staking. Still other types of vines have aerial root systems that help them adhere to the sides of available surfaces. Additionally, wome trellises offer wide spacing between the slats or rows, and climbing vines with greater density and width will have an easier time twining around and filling in this type of trellising. Other trellises are more narrow and more suitable for delicate plant life that will twine and twirl around a narrow structure. Still other types of trellising will need to be modified for plant life that cannot climb well, or at all on its own, and must be wired or otherwise secured to the trellis for support as it grows. Finally, some types of plant life will need only light or moderate support, while other vines and foliage can become quite dense and heavy and will need a lot of ongoing support as it grows and matures. Understanding what type and quality of support your plant life requires will be a key to selecting the right trellis for the plant life and the right plant life for the trellis.
