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Creative Garden Trellis DIY

July 25, 2020

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Did you know you could make a garden trellis from just about anything?

Yup. All it takes is a little bit of imagination to make a creative frame to grow vines or any climbing plant in your yard.

Here's the quick and easy DIY to build one of your very own in minutes.

Small red bench in garden with text overlay How To Turn Anything Into A Garden Trellis


We're in the garden again today folks.

Hands in the dirt.

Cultivating color. Tis the season!

Since we're all about easy around here, we tend to favor plants that come back each year so we can avoid the arduous job of planting.

Even with my husband's handy dandy tool, we still try to avoid it at all costs.

Enter those fabulous perennials. We have quite a few of them in the yard.

And while most of them come back and behave, staying in their designated spots each year, the Morning Glory and Moon Flowers need a little more structure.

So years ago, my husband anchored a pre-made trellis to the garden side of the garage wall and gave them a perfect space of their own to flourish.

It's worked out quite well, camouflaging the plain white siding and kept those wandering vines in line.

Literally.

Unfortunately, after almost a decade of use in a harsh climate, the trellis rotted. Time for something new.

Well. Since we couldn't get to the store this year to purchase one, we decided to get creative instead.

We'd had this darling little bench that we'd rescued from the curb a while back, just hanging out in the empty flower bed to add some color, when we both had the same brainstorm. At the exact same time.

Why not make a trellis using it? Trash to treasure. Perfect.

Now, you don't need a bench to make this idea work. The real trick to the trellis is the string system. You can use just about anything as your base.

If you can anchor the strings to it, you're in business.

How To Build Your Own Trellis


1. Grab Your Trellis Base


Little Red Wooden Bench in dirt patch

We started by placing the bench where the plant would grow, centered on the wall.

We knew that's where the vines would pop up, although we didn't have to plant any seeds this year. Those vines have been growing there forever, so they come back on their own now.

You could also use a potted planter for your base and then there's no need for digging. Even better.

2. Gather A Cutting Tool And Some Twine


Trellis Twine And Razor on glass table

This is the twine we used: Braided Nylon Masonry Twine

We chose it because it's strong, it's water and rot resistant. And frankly, because we had it on hand.

3. Add Nails


Garage door with small nails and twine attached to it

Next, we added a few small aluminum nails at the top of the garage trim. They spanned the entire length of the garage, since that's the area we wanted the vines grow up and cover.

The key to a good design is to space the nails out evenly.

You will place your nails as high and wide as you want your own vine to grow. A nice fan shape works well, but a straight, vertical rectangle is also classic.

4. Make A Loop 


Hand holding twine loop

Make a small loop at one end of the string, loop it around the nail and tie it tight.

5. Tie To The Trellis Base



Little red bench with twine tied to it

The other end of the string gets tied to whatever your base item happens to be. We tied ours to the bench.

We repeated this process over and over again, until we had the entire wall strung up.

And then we had a finished trellis.

Red bench with twine tied to it fanned out across a garden garage wall

6. Get Ready For Growth


Small red bench with garden bed with tiny morning glory leaves

Once your DIY trellis is all set up, it's time to plant. Or in our case wait for things to sprout.

And boy did they ever!

Here's the progress that little vine has made over the past 3 weeks. By mid August that entire wall will be totally covered and in full bloom.

Trash To Treasure Garden Trellis text in center of 5 photos showing various stages of morning glory growing on bench trellis

And all because of that sweet little red bench.

From the trash.

How awesome is that?

Hey before you go, my friend Ann has organized a really fun hop full of more crafty DIYs.

Do It Over Designers Blog Hop Join us on the 4th Saturday of every month as we Upcycle, Recycle/ DIY Hosted by Ann from Apple Street Cottage text

Pop on over to visit my friends and see what they have to share. And if you're here from the hop, welcome! I hope you'll visit again or sign up for my emails so you don't miss a thing.

Let the hopping begin!
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Post a Comment | 38 Comments

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  1. What a fun and creative idea - love the color too. Love repurposing and upcycling! Thanks for sharing and wonderful creating with you.

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    1. Thanks so much! This one's kind of stolen my heart. I think it's the red. 😉

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  2. What a sweet garden embellishment!! If I only had a green thumb......

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    1. You and me both, Patti! Luckily, I have a guy with one. Haha!
      Enjoy the weekend!

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  3. I never would have thought to use the bench as the base to a trellis, Kim. And you found it on the curb? Even better!

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    1. At the curb, Ann! It was on a busy street the day we left my daughter at her college dorm freshman year. I made my husband turn around and I got out to get it through my tears. Haha. And thanks for the hop! Fun!

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  4. That's a great idea! I love plants that climb, I have one that goes up one of the back patio porch columns and over the top of the roof, I love it!

    Tania

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  5. Kim, you always are so creative. I love this trellis and can't believe how big the vines are already. You gave me an idea for my dahlias for next year I have growing in large tubs on my deck, thanks so much!

    Cindy

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    1. Thanks so much, Cindy! And I know...those vines really took off with the heat. It's been fun to watch them grow!

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  6. That's very creative! I went the simple route and simply tied my cucumber vines as they grew heavy to garden art and ladders. If I was to move the pots with cucumbers, I'd have to move the tall garden art and ladders along with them. But it works!
    Brenda

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    1. I bet it looks great, Brenda…and cucumbers? Yum!

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  7. This is really awesome for sure. How creative and fun. That little red bench is so cute I might add. Love this Kim. Happy Saturday. xoxo

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  8. Very sweet trellis. I think I would trium away the vine so I could still use the little red bench. A great and creative project.

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    1. Thanks Linda! And I was thinking the same thing today. I want to see that bench. Maybe I need to get the trimmers.

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  9. What a great idea! That red bench is darling. Those vines will look fabulous climbing all the way up the side of the house! xo Kathleen

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    1. Thanks so much, Kathleen! I had fun with this one.

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  10. Kim, I always think each DIY you do is the best, but this might be the ONE. What a great idea and I love how you spaced the twine on it. I absolutely love Morning Glories, but mine did not come back this year. I planted them in a pot and the sidewalks are close by so maybe the seeds didn't get to germinate enough. Yours have been beautiful in the past so will be more so this year. I love that color red paint?? I am coming over in August and taking your morning glories on as my own..Stay well..xxoJudy

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    1. Thank you, Judy! And you can come grab those Morning Glories and a cup of lemonade by the pool anytime. xo

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  11. That is such a clever idea! Your vines are going to looks great!

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    1. Thanks so much! And now that little bench has purpose. 😉

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  12. What a great and wonderful idea, when the vine blooms there will be so much pretty color.Would like an update later on if it's possible, have a nice rest of the weekend.

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    1. Thank you SO much, Marlene! I will definitely update when the flowers bloom...and you have nice weekend, too!

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  13. That is so cool! You are brilliant! :)

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    1. Thanks Mari! We're blushing over here. ☺️

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  14. Well, Kim, this is one of your cutest projects yet! And red is my favorite color:) I love to "try" and use unexpected things in our yard. I have come up with a few things from time to time. I have an old iron vanity chair (the kind that once had a cushion in the seat and on the back) that I have a big pot sitting in. The gerber daisies in planted in it back in the spring were so pretty but now the HOT south GA heat has fried them!!! I left a reply to the comment you wrote on my last blog post. Your words really meant so much to me and I appreciated them more than I can express. If you have time, please do go back and read my reply. I know most bloggers don't reply but I just like to:)

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    1. Thank you so much, Cheri...and your chair planter sounds so cheerful with daisies inside. I love commenting on posts that really touch me and yours did. I will absolutely go back and read the reply right now. ❤️

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  15. I love that cute red bench Kim! I like the way you make the trellis grow in the side of the house. The red bench would even look cute alone in the garden. I'm enjoying looking at all of your garden ideas. I will be on the look out for the flower tool!

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    1. Thanks Julie! We’ve been spending so much more time in the garden this year, obviously, so it’s been a fun distraction to shake things up a bit. Glad you’ve enjoyed the ideas!

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  16. Kim, I'm not surprised you were drawn to that little "red" bench. LOL This red loving gal would have grabbed it too. Wow, is that trellis going to be gorgeous when the vine is fully grown and covered in blooms.

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    1. I'm glad to hear I'm not the only red lover out there, Marie!!

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  17. The red bench.. how sweet. I love how you have the vines training so well. High Fives to some one who says they do not have a green thumb.. I know better. ;-) Love Ya!

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    1. Well, I'm slowly learning, Carla...but really it's either or my husband's doing or the fact that we pick plants that are really hard to kill!! 🤣

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  18. Oh wow, that looks so pretty. I can just picture how glorious it's going to be when the Morning Glory is in flower. Sadly they're considered an invasive species here in South Africa and I do love them so.

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    1. They can be invasive, so I totally get it. We keep them in line - literally - with the string and they haven't jumped out of that garden bed in all the years that we've had them. Fingers crossed...

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