This week I felt like making something. Rick and I have not made a project together in a while and I have been formulating an idea for a trellis for a few months.
I wanted this trellis to be for one of my 20” pots and I planted pea seeds after we completed this project. I love how this trellis turned out so much that I want to make another one with the boards we have left over.
Before we get into the “how to” part of this post I wanted to share a few historical facts I came across while reading about trellises or treillage. Yes, can you believe it, trellises have some interesting history to them.
By definition a trellis is an architectural structure, usually made from an open framework or lattice of interwoven or intersecting pieces of wood, bamboo or metal that is made to support climbing plants.
Having a structure to support vining plants is nothing new. Gardeners from the beginning of time have probably been rigging up structures to support plants since gardening started but this idea was not documented until Roman and Greek paintings depicted trellises being used in Mediterranean gardens. Historians believe that the wooden structures used would not have withstood the test of time and have not had the opportunity to have their place in history until paintings documented their presence.
Carved trellises began an important structural appearance in gardens during the 14th and 15th centuries, primarily being used for climbing roses and grapevines. The popularity of trellises being used in upper class gardens took a dramatic turn when King Louis XIV hired a landscape architect Andre Le Norte to design a garden at Versailles. The elaborate garden was considered the finest and grandest french garden of the time. Le Norte’s use of trellises were so large and magnificent that the idea spread all across Europe. The garden of Versailles is still around today. An amazing fact is that every 100 years the garden is completely replanted to maintain the original design. In December 1999 the garden suffered major damage from a storm but the garden has been repaired and retains a similar appearance to the way it would have looked when Andre Le Norte originally designed it. If you would like to read more about it or are lucky enough to visit it, here is the website of The Gardens | Palace of Versailles.
By the 19th century in North America, trellises became widely used outside in the garden and indoors. In the garden, trellises make a nice architectural piece and indoors they can be used as an art form. Artists, designers and architects have been inspired by the open design of trellises and continue to incorporate them into modern day designs. Trellis designs have even been made into popular wallpaper patterns.
Supplies Needed:
- 4 – 1” x 2” x 8’ Furring Strips
- Cut into:
- 4 – 48” pieces
- 24 – 8” pieces
- Cut into:
- 1 1/4” wood screws
- Drill
- 1/8″ Drill Bit
- Pencil
- Tape measure
- Saw
- Speed square
- Wood glue (optional)
How to Assemble:
I really hope this trellis design is one that you would like to make for your garden. This quick and easy design would add height and interest into your garden.
Happy desert gardening!
Joy Simper has a full time job as a home schooling stay at home mom. She is the one that holds the house and yard together and keeps the kids in line. She enjoys gardening, including seed starting and propagating plants.