Simple Garden Trellis

Trellis, or treillage as it is sometimes pompously called, has a long pedigree as a garden feature. In its original form, it probably consisted of a woven screen of branches used for fencing or to support trained fruit trees against a wall. Today it is primarily used as a decorative element, but with careful planning you can combine this with the traditional approach to produce a very attractive screen, wind-break or base for climbing plants.

The most widely used type of trellis consists of thin strips of wood nailed together to form a diamond or squared pattern, but there are many other possibilities. Plastic is increasingly available and, if of good quality and simple design, can be quite acceptable. Wire, steel and wrought-iron have long been used in a variety of ways, ranging from strands of wire stretched between posts to delicate filigrees that reflect the architecture of an adjoining building. One of the great advantages of free-standing trellis is, of course, the ease with which it can be erected.

Pre-assembled trellis can be attached to posts that have been simply slotted into metal sleeves, or the posts can be spiked and driven into the ground or securely concreted into position. The initial cost may be high but, if regularly maintained, such a feature will last a life-time.

A quick look at your local garden centre will give you an idea of the enormous variety of trellis styles available. This is because trellis has become fashionable of late, so it is often used for that reason alone — an approach that seldom reflects good design sense. High fashion also comes with an expensive price tag, and many suppliers produce catalogues offering pseudo-bespoke designs that cost a small fortune. To justify the price, the patterns are often vastly complicated, and this makes them very difficult to fit into an overall garden composition. There is, of course, a place for the complicated and intricate, but that place has to be reflected elsewhere in the design. Remember the prime rule that ’simple things work best’ and you will not go far wrong.

One of the most common uses for trellis is as a support for climbers against a free-standing wall or against a house. In fact, wiring with horizontal strands is often more effective in this situation, costing less and involving little maintenance. Trellis may look better if it sets out to become a decorative element in its own right. Properly chosen and fitted, trellis will brighten and break the line of a dull wall. Make sure you align the tops of the panels with any obvious features such as windows or doors and remember that you will need to maintain it regularly, even when pretreated timber is used. The plants which are growing against the trellis will have to be untied and any dead foliage cut away first. It can be difficult to remove climbers which have woven their way through the slats, and this may prove a maintenance problem.

Further down the garden, trellis can make an ideal screen, either in a decorative role, allowing you to catch a glimpse of what is beyond, or in a more practical way as a visual barrier to a utility or other area. The simplest pattern of trellis is often the best at hiding an unattractive view or feature. Climbers can be planted to complete the screen; if evergreens are chosen then the feature will remain effective and attractive even during the winter months.

Decorative screens can either be completely straightforward or rather more complicated. In an uncluttered, domestic garden a basic squared pattern of strong trellis will be ideal. This style is excellent for climbers and will easily withstand the wear and tear caused by children and teenagers playing ball in the garden. It could extend part way across the space or include an archway to the area beyond. In the context of a more stylized and formal garden, there is justification for a more complex pattern. Here, a trellis could follow shapes used elsewhere, with curved tops, hooped arches or close-set slats

combined in any number of ways. Remember, too, that trellis is internationally used. Superb styles have been developed in Japan, the Far East and other parts of the world, extending the vast catalogue of design possibilities.

Another practical approach to screens and dividers is to use them as wind-breaks. Very often a solid fence or wall will create wind turbulence on the lee-side. In contrast, slats or trellis tend to filter the wind effectively with no such disadvantages. This facility can be exploited both at ground level and in a roof garden, which is where trellis will really come into its own.

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