by TD Small

Created on: September 27, 2008   Last Updated: October 01, 2008

A garden without a trellis is like a hot air balloon without the balloon; there's nothing eye-catching above ground. Trellises are a fun and often inexpensive way to add not only function, but a new dimension to your lawn or garden landscape. Many require very little maintenance and trellises can be found in every size from small ones that fit into flowerpots to large ones that cover the side of a house.

You can find trellises made out of many different materials such as vinyl, wood, copper, steel, and iron. They give plants like ivy, clematis, and roses a place to climb and add interest to your home without affecting your siding or brick mortar. There are many types of trellises available.

A garden trellis is used to provide a place for flowers that produce vines such as ivy, clematis, and climbing roses to grow and show off their blooms and greenery. Garden trellises can be found in various sizes and can be used alone or with other landscaping to create an attractive garden feature in your yard. Large garden trellises can be used to provide shade for garden benches or chairs in a sunny corner of your yard or garden.

A vinyl trellis is maintenance free and most will not fade or yellow and do not need painting or staining to keep them looking good as new. They won't crack, split, warp or peel like wood or corrode like metal. They also come in a variety of shapes and sizes. The white vinyl trellis will stand out against the green garden foliage, making a beautiful contrast for your garden flowers,

An iron trellis can be found in various designs and adds stability to flowers. When considering an iron trellis, just be aware that iron will weather. Weathering is not a bad thing, but will change the look of the trellis over the years. If you are looking for a sturdy trellis that will withstand time and an expanding climbing flower, an iron trellis may be just what you need.

A wedding trellis is often used in outdoor weddings providing an archway for the bride and bridal party to enter the ceremony. Traditionally these are white and are often decorated with an assortment of flowers in the colors of the wedding, if it is a temporary trellis for the occasion. If it is a permanent trellis, wedding colors can be added to the permanent foliage via silk or cut flowers wired to the trellis.

A grape trellis allows your grape plants to climb up to catch the sunshine they need to produce their wonderful fruit. A grape trellis should be made of a high tensile wire to support the grapes and their vines. Round wooden posts or painted or galvanized steel posts that are treated for weather resistance are recommended for grape trellises.

A tomato trellis helps to keep tomato plants and their fruit up off of the ground, helping to discourage rot and diseases that often appear in improperly staked tomato plants. Tomato cages are often used as tomato trellises, but another solution is wooden stakes tied together with plastic cords. As the tomato plant grows, more lines of plastic cords can be added between the stakes providing support and easier picking of this summer treat.

Trellis designs vary as much as trellis size does. Depending on the type of garden atmosphere you are trying to create, you can find very ornate trellises with decorative forms and colored glass decorating the spaces to simple wooden trellises made out of wooden slats for a more simple, country addition.

A trellis adds a personal touch to any garden or yard. By adding height to your garden, with a trellis, you are adding a whole new dimension of color and varieties of plants that can call your garden home. Whatever kind or type of trellis you need or desire, you can easily find it and take your garden to a whole new dimension.

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