20 clever trellis ideas to maximise growing space in your garden

An ever-so-classic garden arch makes for an inviting entrance to your home or garden as it is, but training climbing flowers over it just adds that little touch of magic.

One of the easiest things you can do is to fashion a trellis out of materials you already have on hand. Here, some thick, older vining branches have been woven together using some thinner vines, then allowed to dry. This makes a great light trellis for small vines like sweet pea.

Obelisk style trellises can be as simple as a few branches of bamboo or grapevine lashed together, or they can be highly decorative, drawing as much attention as the plants you're growing.

We love the idea of setting up several wooden ones for a natural look. Alternatively, you could paint each a different colour to add some vibrancy to your garden.

Ideal for vining vegetables such as cucumbers, this container garden trellis idea lets you grow beans, tomatoes or other 'tall' plant veggies without having to get them in the ground.

You can also move the plant into a greenhouse or indoors during cold snaps, or to avoid hungry nighttime critters.

We love the rustic look of sweet peas scrambling up cut saplings, such as poplar or birch, tied with twine. Forage large sticks from your garden, then lash together in casual fashion at the top.

This won't hold heavy plants, but it's fine for annuals such as morning glories or nasturtiums.

There's no rule that says a trellis has to be modest in scale. This wooden structure is generous enough to double as a gazebo, while roses climbing over its curved panels turn it into the ultimate romantic summer retreat.

A salvaged window proves the perfect support for a climbing vine, such as star jasmine. Remove the glass panes and hang on a wall or rest on your potting shed worktable.

Pergolas can be used not only as a support structure for vines such as clematis – a beautiful addition in the spring and summertime – but they also provide shade if planted up densely.

Get a similar tutorial at A Piece of Rainbow.

For a simple vegetable trellis that will last for a few seasons, attach plastic netting, also known as poultry netting. Best of all, these can be installed in minutes.

Pergolas are a classic choice for training clematis, roses or even grapevines – but how about growing cucurbits high up in the air? Squashes, courgettes and pumpkins are climbing vegetables – just make sure you pick a variety that doesn't grow too heavy. Bamboo branches offer the perfect support here.

Espalier is a form of pruning that allows trees to grow flat against a wall or in a line. Though it's not strictly a 'trellis', espalier does have a fence-like appearance, ideal for privacy – though this technique does take time and effort to achieve.

Bamboo lasts forever! Buy a package of tall bamboo pieces, lean them towards each other, and lash the tops together. You've got a bean tunnel that can be disassembled and stored easily come winter.

This cheery obelisk-style trellis is wrapped in chicken wire to make it extra easy for vining plants to hang on. But it's the flat top that really stands out. Most obelisks have a pointed top; this one gives you space to add a potted plant on the top level.

Get the tutorial at Empress of Dirt.

Two projects in one, this trellis is mounted inside a planter. A trellis-planter combination like this makes it easy to move when necessary – particularly handy in small spaces of when growing weather-sensitive varieties.

Get a similar tutorial at Deuce Cities Henhouse.

Ivy, wisteria and other vining plants don't need much encouragement, especially during the growing season. You can attach a rustic ladder to your outdoor wall or shed – either leaning and attached just at the top, or securely at the top and bottom – and then direct a few of the tendrils to start making their way up.

Get a similar tutorial at Ashbee Design.

Whimsical and charming, this trellis is made with green saplings, which are bent into a hoop shape and wedged between large rocks until they’re dry.

Get a similar tutorial at Ellen Ecker Ogden.

If wicker or wood isn't your style, consider a metal plant support instead. This vintage-inspired cage trellis has a beautifully weathered patina, while sweet peas scrambling up its frame add softness and charm to the border.

Sleek and slim, these trellises offer simple, unfussy lines that contrast nicely with the raised planters installed beneath them.

Get the tutorial at Yellow Brick Home.