23 clever trellis ideas to transform your garden

If you have a privacy fence or other area that could do with a bit of sprucing up, this V-shaped panel trellis could be a great choice. The widening form allows vines to spread out as they get taller, and it looks beautiful even before it's covered over.

Get the tutorial at The Handyman's Daughter.

An ever-so-classic garden arch makes for an inviting entrance to your home or garden as it is, but training climbing flowers over it just adds that little touch of magic.

One of the easiest things you can do is to fashion a trellis out of materials you already have on hand. Here, some thick, older vining branches have been woven together using some thinner vines, then allowed to dry. This makes a great light trellis for small vines like sweet pea.

Obelisk style trellises can be as simple as a few branches of bamboo or grapevine lashed together, or they can be highly decorative, drawing as much attention as the plants you're growing.

We love the idea of setting up several wooden ones for a natural look. Alternatively, you could paint each a different colour to add some vibrancy to your garden.

Ivy, wisteria and other vining plants don't need much encouragement, especially during the growing season.

You can attach a vintage ladder to your outdoor wall or shed – either leaning and attached just at the top, or securely at the top and bottom – and then direct a few of the tendrils to start making their way up.

Ideal for vining vegetables such as cucumbers, this container garden trellis idea lets you grow beans, tomatoes or other 'tall' plant veggies without having to get them in the ground.

You can also move the plant into a greenhouse or indoors during cold snaps, or to avoid hungry nighttime critters.

A salvaged window proves the perfect support for a climbing vine, such as star jasmine. Remove the glass panes and hang on a wall or rest on your potting shed worktable.

We love the rustic look of sweet peas scrambling up cut saplings, such as poplar or birch, tied with twine. Forage large sticks from your garden, then lash together in casual fashion at the top.

This won't hold heavy plants, but it's fine for annuals such as morning glories or nasturtiums.

Pergolas can be used not only as a support structure for vines such as clematis – a beautiful addition in the spring and summertime –but they also provide shade.

Get a similar tutorial at A Piece of Rainbow.

Lovely in itself, this hexagon-shaped honeycomb trellis will add some interest and texture to your garden. Use a saw to make the hexagonal cuts, then mount the trellis onto a fence, making sure it screws into all the horizontal supports.

Get the tutorial at Mama Needs a Project.

For a simple vegetable trellis that will last for a few seasons, attach plastic netting, also known as poultry netting. Best of all, these can be installed in minutes.

Espalier is a form of pruning that allows trees to grow flat against a wall or in a line. Though it's not strictly a 'trellis', espalier does have a fence-like appearance, ideal for privacy – though this technique does take time and effort to achieve.

This beautifully made trellis is suitable for showing off at the entrance to your home, especially draped with a flowering vine like clematis. Be sure to use pressure-treated wood and a stain or sealer so it stands the test of time.

Get the tutorial at HandyDadTV.

Bamboo lasts forever! Buy a package of tall bamboo pieces, lean them towards each other, and lash the tops together. You've got a bean tunnel that can be disassembled and stored easily come winter.

Two projects in one, this trellis is mounted inside a handy planter. The box has casters mounted on the bottom, making it easy to move when necessary.

Get the tutorial at Deuce Cities Henhouse.

Whether you’d like to use this rustic ladder as a trellis or as seasonal decor, it's a lovely addition to your patio. Craft it from small limbs foraged from your garden.

Get a similar tutorial at Ashbee Design.

This elegant crisscross trellis can be used in the most formal of outdoor spaces. If you have a water feature or artwork you’d like to highlight, think about leaving out the center 'X' and placing the piece within the space.

Get the tutorial at Centsational Style.

Whimsical and charming, this trellis is made with green saplings, which are bent into a hoop shape and wedged between large rocks until they’re dry.

Get a similar tutorial at Ellen Ecker Ogden.