8 Trellis Ideas to Give You Garden Envy
Your climbers will love hanging out on these smart structures – and they'll bring beauty to your outside space
Many of us have a trellis or two in the garden, usually brown, rectangular and fixed to a garden wall or fence. But it could be time to give your climbing-plant supports a face-lift, as these cool creations show.
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This article is from our Most Popular stories file
Use it as a screen
The beauty of a trellis is that it can partially obscure an unattractive view without entirely blocking out the light, so it’s perfect for screening an urban balcony. This smart terrace combines a low wall with raised planters on top and a trellis covered with evergreen climbers as a backdrop.
Painting the trellis the same pale-grey as the planters ties the scheme together and ensures this outdoor room feels polished.
9 ways to make the most of a small urban garden
The beauty of a trellis is that it can partially obscure an unattractive view without entirely blocking out the light, so it’s perfect for screening an urban balcony. This smart terrace combines a low wall with raised planters on top and a trellis covered with evergreen climbers as a backdrop.
Painting the trellis the same pale-grey as the planters ties the scheme together and ensures this outdoor room feels polished.
9 ways to make the most of a small urban garden
Paint it dark
Inky shades of grey, green and black can work surprisingly well in a garden, as this smart trellis demonstrates.
The dark hue creates a more contemporary feel than a traditional brown trellis would, and it provides a subtle backdrop against which the espaliered apple trees and jewel-coloured flowers can shine.
Inky shades of grey, green and black can work surprisingly well in a garden, as this smart trellis demonstrates.
The dark hue creates a more contemporary feel than a traditional brown trellis would, and it provides a subtle backdrop against which the espaliered apple trees and jewel-coloured flowers can shine.
Make an outdoor room
Taking dark-painted trellis to another level, these garden owners have created an extra living space by framing a fence with trellis and growing climbers up and over to create a lush ‘secret garden’ effect.
Add in an outdoor mirror, comfy sofa and a cheerful outdoor rug, and you’ve got the perfect corner for entertaining on a hot summer’s day.
Taking dark-painted trellis to another level, these garden owners have created an extra living space by framing a fence with trellis and growing climbers up and over to create a lush ‘secret garden’ effect.
Add in an outdoor mirror, comfy sofa and a cheerful outdoor rug, and you’ve got the perfect corner for entertaining on a hot summer’s day.
Wrap it around
The tall, wraparound trellis in this urban garden creates a sheltered, cocooning feel, which makes this outdoor space feel like a real oasis. It also creates a clear outer wall while still allowing daylight to filter through.
A small city garden gets a lush makeover
The tall, wraparound trellis in this urban garden creates a sheltered, cocooning feel, which makes this outdoor space feel like a real oasis. It also creates a clear outer wall while still allowing daylight to filter through.
A small city garden gets a lush makeover
Frame a window
For a fairy-tale cottage look, trellis can be used on the exterior of a house to frame a window or door. Check your house exterior can support climbing plants before you try this, and select plants that won’t attach themselves to, and cause issues with, the brickwork.
For a fairy-tale cottage look, trellis can be used on the exterior of a house to frame a window or door. Check your house exterior can support climbing plants before you try this, and select plants that won’t attach themselves to, and cause issues with, the brickwork.
Create a dividing wall and striking archway
Rather than thinking of trellis purely as a wall attachment, if you consider using it as a stand-alone ‘screen’ the possibilities really open up.
A sturdy trellis can be used to divide a garden by creating a ‘wall’ that screens off a section of your space. It can also be used to construct an arch/walkway for roses to scramble over, as here.
Rather than thinking of trellis purely as a wall attachment, if you consider using it as a stand-alone ‘screen’ the possibilities really open up.
A sturdy trellis can be used to divide a garden by creating a ‘wall’ that screens off a section of your space. It can also be used to construct an arch/walkway for roses to scramble over, as here.
Take them horizontal
The owners of this teeny house and courtyard are masters at squeezing every last drop of potential out of a small plot. In order to make the most of the vertical planting opportunities in this narrow garden, they’ve covered most of the wall with neat trellises, placing them horizontally as well as vertically to squeeze in as many as possible. Once the climbers have reached full height, they should happily scramble right the way along this wall surface, creating a wallpaper of greenery.
How have you used trellis in your garden? Let us know in the Comments section.
The owners of this teeny house and courtyard are masters at squeezing every last drop of potential out of a small plot. In order to make the most of the vertical planting opportunities in this narrow garden, they’ve covered most of the wall with neat trellises, placing them horizontally as well as vertically to squeeze in as many as possible. Once the climbers have reached full height, they should happily scramble right the way along this wall surface, creating a wallpaper of greenery.
How have you used trellis in your garden? Let us know in the Comments section.
Rather than trying to completely cover your trellis with plants, why not make a feature of it and use it to frame your greenery? This eye-catching wall trellis in sky blue is the perfect foil for the dark-green foliage and pink flowers of this climber. Thin wire struts do the hard work of supporting the plant, but they are almost invisible to the eye, ensuring the blue frame gets to steal the limelight.
If a bespoke trellis like this one isn’t an option, you can still create a similar effect by painting your trellis with a colourful wood paint before fixing it to the wall. You can get a range of stunning colours these days, from sea greens to bright pinks.