I recently put together a new kind of trellis for my garden all by myself. The Spires Trellis would be a beautiful hardscaping piece alongside an English Tudor or French-style home or any space where you want to add a bit of European flair. I hope to add it to our Gardenary shop soon, so keep your eyes peeled!
Besides the fact that I’ve never been great at following directions while putting things together, this assembly was made difficult by the fact that this trellis is huge. Huge. We’re talking way taller than me. If you’ve read my book, Kitchen Garden Revival, you know that I consider trellises to be one of the four essential components of a kitchen garden. One look at this stunning trellis will tell you why. Not only will its latticed side panels provide great support for vining and climbing plants, but its height and design will add beauty and interest to my garden year-round.
Building the Spires Trellis was just a matter of fitting the sections together correctly on the ground before standing it up, but I definitely see why the directions recommend having two people during assembly and installation. Something to keep in mind if you purchase any of our trellis kits!
Reasons to Grow with Trellises
Trellises maximize the amount of growing space you have in your garden because you encourage plants to grow up instead of growing out. This also increases air circulation and exposure to sun, which means healthier and happier plants all around.
Plants that love support include peas and fava beans in the cool season; tomatoes, cucumbers, and pole beans in the warm season; and Armenian cucumbers and luffa gourd in the hot season.
While I can’t recommend metal obelisks, panels, and arched trellises enough, there are other ways to provide support for your kitchen garden plants. Today, I’m going to go over four levels of trellises to support every style and every budget.
Your Four Levels of Trellising
Beginner’s Level: Wood Trellis
A super simple way to add support to your garden would be to use wood trellising. This is your most basic and inexpensive option. When I first started gardening, I collected bamboo stakes from a friend’s backyard for free. I formed the stakes into panels and connected them with netting in my garden beds. The little tendrils of my cucumber and bean plants loved clinging to the netting. The downside of wood trellising is that it often only lasts one season or so. It also needs a lot of reinforcing to prevent it from falling over.
Intermediate Level: Farm Fencing or Panel Trellis
When I graduated from bamboo poles, I went and bought an entire roll of metal fencing from a home supply store. This material would have been fine to use between vertical supports, but it was too flimsy to serve as an arch trellis the way I wanted. What I should have bought was cattle fencing or farm paneling from a tractor supply store. Made to be much stronger, cattle fencing can stand up on its own but can also be bent into an arch between beds. This practical option gives you plenty of support in your garden but lacks, in my opinion, the vertical interest of a metal trellis.
Contemporary Panel Trellis
The symmetrical pattern on this unit contrasts the curves within your shrubs and flowers, and the black powder-coated finish brings a modern element.
Advanced Level: DIY Trellis Kit
The discovery of ready-made kits for obelisks, panels, and arches changed how I designed gardens for good. Like the Spires Trellis, these kits arrive with all of the pieces ready for assembly. If you bury the legs of your trellis about one foot down in your raised bed, the soil will hold it in place. The kit also includes ground spikes to safely anchor your arch if you’re placing it in your landscaping. Most kits cost between $200 and $400, so this is still an accessible option when you consider how many years this will bring structure and aesthetic appeal your outdoor space.
Pro Level: Custom-Designed Trellis
The arch trellis in my garden was crafted in one piece to fit my specific garden space. It’s one welded piece of metal—no screws or anything—that brings vertical interest and beauty, in addition to, you know, supporting my plants.
If your budget allows for a DIY kit or a custom-designed trellis, you could use your structure as an inviting entryway into your garden space. I’m going to put the Spires Trellis in my backyard and grow nasturtiums, tomatoes, or peas up the latticed sides for a dramatic focal point. I’ll definitely need a ladder to reach the top!
If you’re ready to level up your garden game, check out all of the fantastic trellises in our Gardenary shop. I can’t wait to see what you grow on your own trellises this year!