Do you wish to give your garden a twist? Turn to Trellis Netting!
This summer my wife Cathy and I went on a tour to England. Our mutual love for nature trails and love for Victorian novels made us plan our England tour in such a manner that we get to see the best! Amongst the picturesque English countryside, lovely Bed and Breakfast (B&Bs as they are called there) with their own farms and gardens, and the urbane yet rustic look of the houses with almost every house teeming with lovely flowers and climbers of every kind, what caught our attention, is the variety of innovative ways in which people across England adorned their gardens! It is here that we saw some of the most amazing usage of Trellis Netting in gardening!
Our tour gave gardening lovers like Cathy and me, an entirely new level of perception of how the simple usage of Trellis Netting can not only enhance a garden, but also act as a plant support in braving the abrupt storms that we encounter back home. So we decided to share some of these simple yet interesting options with fellow flower plant lovers.
Trellis Netting – A Couple of Points to Ponder Upon
Before you jump in to randomly start using Trellis Netting, here are a couple of things to consider:
- Understand the need of the plants in your garden. If you have a lot of climbers, then you must select supports which are strong enough for the vines of your climbers. Opt for Trellis Netting which is made out of waterproof materials. For instance, you can select between galvanized steel, treated wood, and even painted wood for that matter. This tip is especially useful if you are planning to have a perennial kind of climber in your garden.
- If all you are looking for is to give your garden an aesthetic lift, then you should look out for Trellis Netting which acts as a mere decorative support for your plant. Some examples may include an obelisk that marks the end of a pathway, arbors that mark just the entrance of the pathway, or offering a simple sense of enclosure to define boundaries in the form of trellis panels, pergolas etc.
Some Trellis Netting Options to Choose From
Trellis Netting can offer you both functional and decorative choices based on your requirement. Here are some of the options that you can choose from:
Twigs: As simple as they sound, what better than to start off your idea of using Trellis Netting than small twigs or branches of around 3 to 5 ft in length. They are easily available, you just need to push them into the soil next to your plant that needs support, and most important of all, they are free! A small tip though – the tinier the twigs you choose, the better. Look for twigs or branches from shrubs instead of trees. These twigs which act as support for your plant become invisible when covered with vines and you can also use them as compost by the end of the year when they wear out.
Teepees, Obelisks, and Tripods: These types of Trellis Netting structures can serve both your aesthetic and functional requirements. These structures act as a robust vertical element which servers as the focal point of your garden. A word of caution – Avoid overusing them, as it defeats the purpose then. You can have these structures as tall as required depending on the type of plant they will be supporting. For instance if you have a variety of morning glories in your garden, you may want a Trellis Netting support which is at least 8 to 10 ft in height. Speaking of teepees for your kitchen garden, bamboo canes are an inexpensive option.
Arches: If you wish to give a distinctive touch to your garden, what better Trellis Netting option to choose from than arches. However, you need to be a little picky in terms of its design and placement. Based on the style and scale of your house and its surrounding landscape, you would need to make your decision. The ones made of wood are most commonly used. They are usually painted or stained to sustain the elements of weather. Nowadays, you get steel and plastic versions as well.
Flat Trellises: This type of Trellis Netting is best suitable if you wish to define a space in your garden area. You may anchor them to posts or walls and can also have them freestanding. Some examples would include metal trellises of various types, plastic mesh, and wooden lattice panels.
Fencing and Porches: Consider having climbers which are suitable for any and every type of fencing. Climbing roses look very pretty on fences giving that embellished draping look. Sweet peas also look awesome when they receive the support from plastic netting or when they are grown against a picket fence. You can also plan to wrap your porch railings and banisters with plastic Trellis Netting. Chicken wire trellis is an inexpensive and simple fence trellis that will help in confining your poultry (if you have) from rampaging your plants.
Walls: Not every house has 10 ft high walls around its gardens. However you may consider growing plants on one of the walls of your house. It looks simply amazing! Opt for plants such as Boston ivy which can easily attach themselves to any kind of wall and they do not need any other support. There are also these plants which attach themselves to a system of wires, eye bolts, or a wall mounted trellis.
With all of the above information, you are pretty much well equipped now to start your experiments with Trellis Netting! So what are you waiting for? Let your imagination run wild and have fun with the wonderful concept of Trellis Netting and give your gardens a new and innovative twist! You may have your initial bloopers, but that is perfectly okay! You are not a pro after all and neither are we! Cathy and I are still experimenting at our end. Some of these experiments have turned out amazing, while some haven’t. But that does not deter our spirits from giving our lovely garden a twist! Happy Trellis Netting may I say!