Play the Match Game
Remember that the arbor or trellis has to match the plant, so try to visualize both. Start with a garden or nursery catalog, and review different vines and flowers. A climbing tea rose might go with a plain, white wooden trellis, while another plant might require a different design or material.
Form a Strong Attachment to Your Plants
Some vining plants are specialists in climbing techniques, including those that completely wrap themselves around any structure and species that attach themselves with tendrils that sprout from leaves or stems. Others are not good climbers at all, and need to be fastened to the structure. Make sure the structure is stout enough to support the plant's size and weight.
Know Your Plant Biology
Be sure to ask your nursery about the plant's soil and light requirements. Some vining plants are from the forest, and require similar conditions-light on the blooms and moist, shaded soil at the roots.
Plant List
Here are just a few choices:
That's the proper approach to picking plants, we're almost done.
The Sky's the Limit
Whether your goal is to enhance your flower garden, or provide a structure for your vegetables or fruits to grow higher and stronger, arbors and trellises put your garden on a higher level.
Versatile and Varied
As we've seen, arbors and trellises can fulfill many practical and aesthetic needs. They can provide shade for a garden nook, elevate your climbing plants and show off their good looks, create a new design element for your backyard landscape, or create a graceful passage or gateway.
Now, Go Create Your Own...
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