The Charm of a Garden Trellis

By Susan M. Keenan

The fragrance of flowers and roses are inviting enough on their own, but coupled with the classic elegance of a trellis, they create an enchanting garden for any visitor. Accenting your garden with the versatility of a trellis will garner the admiration of your neighbors and friends alike for many years to come.

A garden trellis is the perfect element to define your garden and give it a unique and delightful theme. Whether you are looking to create a garden with a classic or modern motif or a formal or informal style, complementing the remainder of the garden with a trellis is essential.

The graceful lines of a garden trellis can add a new dimension to an already beautiful garden by giving it an additional facet. Placing an attractive trellis in a garden will create a new focal point that draws all eyes to it immediately.

The beauty and color of the flowers on the trellis will cause the garden visitor's eyes to look upward. Therefore, a trellis is a wonderful way to enlarge a garden with limited space, because it temporarily takes the visitor away from the smallness of the garden grounds. Since a trellis stands upright, it will add a vertical direction to the garden and give it the appearance of being larger than it is.

Trellises also offer a charming elegance that visitors will find inviting, unlike gates that seem to distance and prevent admission to other areas of the yard and garden. No matter how attractive a garden is, adding to its visual impact occasionally is a great idea.

In fact, placing a trellis in an ideal location can create the perfect effect. A trellis is a relatively inexpensive way to add a new dimension to the family garden. Not only does it add a sense of height, but also, it adds a sense of permanence or stability.

Additionally, trellises are terrific for creating boundaries between separate areas of the yard or hiding unsightly ones. Unattractive items can be hidden by the presence of a carefully placed trellis. Unsightly trash cans, cumbersome pool pumps, over-sized air conditioning units, and other outdoor eyesores can be carefully camouflaged with the addition of a carefully groomed trellis. Attractive and colorful, a garden trellis adds to the charm of any outdoor area.

Offered in numerous styles, sizes, and colors, trellises can provide an elegant touch to any garden area. In fact, several identical trellises can be used to create a wall of flowers that will be the envy of all of your garden visitors. Moreover, a wall of flowers fashioned with the clever use of trellises can create a privacy feature for the homeowner living in a closely nestled area of homes. Additionally, there isn't a better way to create a secluded section of the yard for the hot tub.

The trellis gardener should be careful not to overcrowd the trellis and to provide proper care for the plants on and around the trellis to maximize the effect. Low hedges can placed around the base of the trellis to add to its look. Simply select hedges that will be easy to trim and maintain throughout the gardening season.

Since the vines, flowers, and plants that you place around the trellis will most likely grow rather tightly around its structure, it is important to consider the long term implications of placement before commencing the planting. Should you decide to move the trellis in a following year, it is probably a better idea to plant annuals initially to ease the transition.

Sufficient room should be available between a trellis and any solid structure, such as a wall, that is behind it. This will allow air to circulate, promote healthier plants, and avoid mildew problems with the surrounding walls.

It is extremely important not to forget about the trellis and its plants once you have it all together. Whether you use trailing vines, climbing flowers, or climbing rose bushes, occasionally, the plants will need to be coaxed to climb up the trellis properly and attractively.

Moreover, fertilization of the plants is important to encourage the growth of the plant, its roots, and a profusion of new buds. Fertilization is extremely important at the onset of the plantings and occasionally throughout the season.

Be sure to keep a watchful eye on any ties that you have used to secure the plants to the trellis. It is essential to maintain a loose enough fit in order not to harm the stems of the plant. As the plants grow, simply check their status periodically and make adjustments accordingly.

A variety of quick growing climbing plants that will add color to your trellis exist, including honeysuckle, jasmine, clematis, sweet pea, climbing hydrangea, and morning glories. Climbing vines are also excellent choices for adding color to a garden trellis and include black-eyed Susan vines and bougainvillea vines. Some gardeners prefer to implement climbing rose bushes for their trellises. Just remember to watch out for the thorns with this colorful addition.

Wisteria is also a colorful and popular choice for a trellis. However, wisteria is extremely heavy and invasive and special care should be taken when using it. A permanent trellis that is very strong and secure is the best option to withstand the weight of wisteria. This prevents the need for continued maintenance in supporting the plant.

A trellis can be purchased in a garden center, home decorating center, discount store, or an online website. They are available in wood, including red cedar and mahogany, and maintenance free copper.

When selecting a trellis that is made of wood, it is best to select pressure treated wood to avoid complications due to weathering. The wood trellises can be painted or stained to compliment the colors previously used in the garden or on the outer portions of the home. Additionally, natural wood can be left to weather, giving it an almost fine silvery gray color.

A touch of elegance, designed to last, a garden trellis is a unique and eye catching conversation piece added to any garden. Create a favorite garden spot in your yard today with a trellis and your own personalized flower arrangement.

© Doityourself.com 2006