22 DIY Garden Trellis Plans You Can Make Today (with Pictures)
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Ingrid Yeh
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You don’t have to be a gardening enthusiast to appreciate a well-designed garden trellis. Trellises provide structure for your yard in the forms of beautiful walls and fences, gates, and tunnels for walkways. They bring a great source of privacy and shade for your outdoor space, while also offering support for your plants—whether you’re growing flowers, vines, fruits, vegetables, or all of the above.
With an abundance of “DIY-able” styles and builds to choose from, ranging from simple to elaborate, it’s easy to find a trellis design to fit any taste and functionality. The best part is that doing so often costs just a fraction of the cost of most pre-made trellises found at the store. Below we have provided you with 22 varying designs of DIY garden trellis plans to pick and choose from.
The 22 DIY Garden Trellis Plans
1. Bamboo Trellis – Simple But Sturdy
| Materials needed: | Bamboo poles, Heavy duty twine, Scissors |
| Difficulty level: | Easy to moderate |
What better material to use to create a strong and sturdy garden trellis than one of the strongest and sturdiest plants in the world? Bamboo. Sturdy yet lightweight, bamboo trellises are attractive focal points for your yard as well as flexible and multifunctional gardening fixtures. They are especially great for vertical gardening with vegetables like tomatoes, cucumbers, and beans.
2. Arched Trellis Enchanting Tunnel
| Materials needed: | Bendable branches or metal garden fencing, Some PVC piping, PVC glue |
| Difficulty level: | Easy to moderate |
There is something so enchanting about a tunnel in a garden. Arched trellises bring the same charm and childlike wonder while also providing structure to a variety of hanging fruits, vegetables, and flowers. Making your own arched trellis is quite simple when working with the right materials. Using branches that are easy to bend, such as willow branches, is the way to go when building these overhead attractions. You can also opt for wire or metal garden fencing in place of wooden branches.
3. Wired Wall Trellis – Eye-Catcher
| Materials needed: | Wire cable, Wire cutters, Wire clamps, A drill, A masonry drill bit, Eye screws, Plant of choice |
| Difficulty level: | Moderate |
Picturesque throughout your garden, trellises make a lovely addition to any walls around your garden as well. Wall trellises like this simple yet elegant wired wall trellis bring so much aesthetic charm to what was once just a blank wall, especially when lined with fruits, vegetables, flowers, or foliage.
4. Wall Trellis on a Fence
| Materials needed: | Cedar fence pickets, a sander and sandpaper, Outdoor wood stain, 1” – 1 ¼” nails, hammer, a level |
| Difficulty level: | Moderate to difficult |
Wall trellises are also a great way to adorn the surrounding fences of your yard. A foliage-lined attached trellis on your fence literally brings life to it and adds character to your entire outdoor space. To maximize this trellis design, planting flower vines directly in front of it will allow for vertical growth along your fence trellis.
5. Freestanding Wall Trellis
| Materials needed: | Four 8-foot 2×1’s, Exterior wood glue, Wood sealant, 1 ¼” Brad nails (or regular nails), A Brad nailer (or a regular hammer), A hand saw |
| Difficulty level: | Easy to moderate |
As you can see, wall trellises come in various designs that can be customized to your liking. No matter the design—whether you opt for mounting a trellis directly onto your wall, or for a freestanding wall trellis—wall trellises are a great way to decorate a blank garden wall with flowers and greenery. The best part is freestanding wall trellises are generally easy to make and can be moved around your garden wherever you see fit.
6. Ladder Trellis
| Materials needed: | A ladder, Some twine (for tying certain plants to grow up the ladder), Paint (optional) |
| Difficulty level: | Easy |
Repurposed vintage items like this lovely ladder trellis add both innovative design and vertical space to your yard. Ladder trellises are perfect for getting vining plants to grow upwards, giving your yard some eye-catching dimension while freeing up some space on your garden floor. In addition to being a cute and crafty trellis, repurposed ladders can also provide structural support for other potted plants from your garden selection.
7. Repurposed Railing Trellis
| Materials needed: | An old crib rail or other railing, Wooden stakes (optional), Screws, A drill |
| Difficulty level: | Easy |
Another DIY trellis idea that utilizes a repurposed old item is this Railing Trellis. Using old crib rails, or any other railings that are no longer in use, you can create some clever vertical gardening structures for your yard. Railing trellises can either be leaned up against a wall or fence or planted into the ground if adding stakes to the bottom for some extra structure.
8. Pergola Trellis
| Materials needed: | Posts: four 4” × 4” x 7′ 6.5″, Beams: two 4” × 6” x 12′, Trim: eight 2” × 6” x 8′, Braces: 2” x 4” (sizes vary based on your desired size and dimensions) |
| Difficulty level: | Moderate to difficult |
Classic and timeless, pergolas not only provide shade and a support structure to your outdoor space, they also make great vertical gardening structures for crawling vines such as grapes or wisterias. While grand in appearance, DIY pergolas trellises like this grape arbor are rather simple to build and install. All you need are the proper materials, tools, and space (including space for proper footing) in your yard.
9. Obelisk Trellis
| Materials needed: | 8-foot 2x2s, Some screws, Wood glue |
| Difficulty level: | Easy to moderate |
Stunning yet easy to make, obelisk trellises make a gorgeous structural addition to any garden. Versatile in its uses, obelisk trellises are ideal vertical structures for climbing plants of all kinds, for tomato cages, and as support for lightweight potted plants as well.
Naturally, the taller the obelisk of your choice, the more vertical space you have to work with for growing foliage like wisterias, jasmines, and honeysuckles.
10. Space-Saving Vertical Trellis
| Materials needed: | 8-foot 1×2’s, Gorilla wood glue, Some clamps, A hand saw or miter saw |
| Difficulty level: | Easy to moderate |
Vertical trellises are great for saving space in your yard. As suggested by the name, they are ideal structures for climbing plants to grow upwards versus outwards. They can either be leaned up against a fence or wall, or planted in the ground with supporting stakes if they are lightweight enough.
11. Planter Box Trellis
| Materials needed: | Five 2” x 8” x 32” boards, Four 2” x 8” x 10.25” boards, Fourteen 1” x 2” x 32’ strips, Two 1” x 2” x 64” strips, Four 2” x 2” x 12” strips, 1 ¼” screws, 2 ¼” screws, Four rubber casters, A drill, Drill bits, Wood stainer |
| Difficulty level: | Moderate |
Combining two planting projects into one, a planter box trellis makes both an attractive and multi-functional addition to any garden. This crafty combo adds height and dimension as well as beautiful greenery and flowers to your garden without taking up valuable space otherwise. You can even grow multiple plants by utilizing both the planter and trellis as separate planting structures.
12. Pea Trellis
| Materials needed: | Bamboo poles, A spool of twine |
| Difficulty level: | Easy |
Having a pea trellis in your garden is not only practical for growing peas, it gives a playful childlike energy to the space. Kids will especially love joining in on this project, as pea trellises are fun and very easy to make. All you need to get started building your DIY pea trellis are some bamboo poles, some twine, and an ideal planting spot in your garden to make it all happen.
13. Fancy French Tuteur Trellises
| Materials needed: | A purchased finial, One 5 ½” x 5 ½” x 1 ¼” thick square slab (for the top piece), Eight 8-foot 2×2’s, Two 8-foot 1×2’s, 2 ½” screws, A drill, Wood glue, Paint (optional) |
| Difficulty level: | Moderate to difficult |
As charming as they look and sound, Tuteur Trellises are perfect for training plants for vertical growth as “tuteur” means “trainer” in French. With some tuteur trellises in your garden, you’ll soon be sprouting roses, vines, green beans and whichever other climbing plants you choose to grow along these stunning structures.
14. Rustic Trellis
| Materials needed: | Green sapling branches (long enough to bend into an arch), Two wooden blocks at least 6” thick (to drill holes into for the bases), A drill, Some heavy-duty twine (for securing branches into place, if needed) |
| Difficulty level: | Moderate |
Sweet and charming, a DIY Rustic Trellis in your garden is the perfect focal point for all who enter. Made with all natural materials—such as green saplings (or other easy-to-bend branches), wood blocks, and large stones for the base—rustic trellises truly add a whimsical allure to your outdoor space.
15. Recycled Bed Springs Trellis
| Materials needed: | An old mattress with bed springs, zip ties or wire, paint (optional) |
| Difficulty level: | Easy |
What better way to be eco-conscious and innovative than by recycling old furniture to serve new purposes around the house (and yard)? Another unique DIY gardening idea is the repurposing of an old mattress to create this bed springs trellis. Requiring just an old mattress/bed springs, some zip ties or wire to secure it against a fence or posts, and paint if you choose to customize it with your favorite colors, creating your own bed springs trellis is extremely simple.
16. Window Frame Trellis Lined With Chicken Wire
| Materials needed: | An old window frame, chicken wire, sturdy wooden stakes (optional), a drill, some 1-1 ¼” screws |
| Difficulty level: | Easy |
Another fun DIY idea for making custom garden trellises is by recycling old window frames. You can either lean the old window frames against a wall or fence, or attach some wood posts to make them freestanding. Whichever option you choose, a Window Frame Trellis gives your garden some vintage-inspired charm. Attaching chicken wire as screens within the window frame adds functionality to your new/old trellis for your plants to grow along.
See Also: 8 DIY Kitchen Garden Window Plans You Can Make Today (with Pictures)
17. Privacy Planter Trellis
| Materials needed: | Four 2×4 horizontal rails @ 55 ½ inches, Four 2×4 vertical center supports @ 13 inches, Four 2×4 vertical supports @ 20 inches, Four 2×4 horizontal rails @ 9 ½ inches, Three 5⁄4 x 6 base plates @ 16 inches, Ten 5⁄4 x 6 floorboards @ 16 inches, Eight 1×6 cedar sheathing @ 59 ¼ inches, Eight 1×6 cedar sheathing @ 17 ¼ inches, Two 5⁄4 x 6 cedar trellis legs @ 70 ¼ inches, One 5⁄4 x 6 cedar trellis top trim @ 76 inches, Four 1×6 cedar trellis horizontal slats @ 60 inches, Three 1×3 cedar trellis horizontal slats @ 60 inches, Seventeen 2×2 cedar trellis vertical pickets @ 47 ½ inches, One 1×3 cedar rear cap trim @ 60 inches, One 1×4 cedar front cap trim @ 62 ½ inches, Two 1×4 cedar end cap trim @ 16 ½ inches |
| Difficulty level: | Moderate to difficult |
As lovely as our neighbors may be, something we can never have too much of is privacy. Luckily, building your own DIY privacy planter trellis is totally doable—although more complex and requiring more material (and a bit more carpentry skill) than other DIY trellis ideas. This 2-in-1 project gives you not only a new private area to enjoy, but also a new planter box with a trellis to grow some beautifully concealing greenery to increase your privacy that much more.
18. Vertical Tomato Trellis
| Materials needed: | 8-foot 2”x2” wooden posts, an 8-foot 2”x4” beam (across the top), some chicken wire or other wire fencing, OR some garden twine (depending on the design you prefer), some 1 ¼” screws, adrill |
| Difficulty level: | Easy to moderate |
As tomatoes can take up quite a bit of space to grow, creating a vertical tomato trellis is not only functional but also aesthetically pleasing. After all, what’s more pleasant than seeing the fruits (or veggies) of your labor growing upwards in abundance. Vertical gardening is the way to go with planting tomatoes, and these easy-to-build tomato trellises can help you achieve just that.
19. Copper Trellis
| Materials needed: | Seven 5′ long copper pipes @ 1/2” diameter, Twenty four copper tees @ 1/2″ size, Four end caps @ 1/2″ size, Four 45-degree connectors @ 1/2″ size, Two 90-degree connectors @ 1/2″ size, Gorilla Glue, pipe or tube cutter (preferably one designed for copper or brass), tape measurer, level |
| Difficulty level: | Moderate to difficult |
Strong and durable yet still natural-looking, a copper trellis blends in perfectly with your garden while still being an attractive accent piece. Made of copper water pipes, copper trellises make sturdy garden structures that are ideal for climbing flowers and vines to grow along. Whether you opt for a shiny or tastefully tarnished look, copper pipes are inexpensive, easy to work with, and made to last for years with little to no upkeep needed.
20. Chevron Lattice Trellis
| Materials needed: | Five 8-foot 2×2′s, four 8-foot 1×2 drywall strips, a box of 1 ½” exterior galvanized finish nails, miter saw, hammer or nail gun, measuring tape |
| Difficulty level: | Moderate |
This DIY chevron lattice trellis is a great way to bring some modern flair to your outdoor space. The charming chevron design adds eye-catching dimension to your garden, especially when adorned with gorgeous flowers and foliage. Customize it with a fresh coat of your favorite color that perfectly complements your plants to create the perfect focal point in our garden.
21. Cattle Panel Trellis
| Materials needed: | One 16-foot cattle panel, four 6-foot studded T-bar posts, some heavy duty plastic zip ties, small sledgehammer, level, tape measure |
| Difficulty level: | Moderate |
While not as elegant as other DIY trellis ideas, a cattle panel trellis is just as effective for gardening—especially vertical gardening. It’s also cost-effective and relatively easy to install. A cattle panel trellis is durable while also being bendable, allowing for customizing of the shape and style of your trellis to your liking.
See Also: 12 DIY Garden Sculpture Plans You Can Build Today (with Pictures)
22. Vintage Garden Tool Trellis
| Materials needed: | Some vintage garden tools, Some wood stakes, Some nails, Some heavy-duty twine |
| Difficulty level: | Easy |
What better and more fitting items to repurpose for a DIY garden trellis than old gardening tools? The best part is building your own vintage garden tool trellis doesn’t require much else than what you already have lying around the yard. Bringing the gardening theme full circle, garden tool trellises are a unique and innovative way to recycle the old to create something new.
Conclusion
Garden trellises are not only beautiful additions to your outdoor space, they are often the very bones on which the garden grows. With various styles and designs to choose from, DIY garden trellises are a fun way to add personalized charm and character to your yard.
Why opt for an impersonal store-bought trellis when you can get as creative as you want with your own custom design? Especially for just a fraction of the cost. We hope that any (or all) of the 22 innovative DIY trellis plans above have sparked some inspiration for you to go create your own garden trellis masterpiece.
Featured Image Credit: Zoe Schaeffer, Unsplash
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