Hardscapes

Trellises

Gardening skills

Plant training

30 August 2023

Learn how to use trellises to support climbing plants, maximize vertical space, and add structural beauty to your garden using a variety of durable materials.

Trellises are support structures made of metal, wood or plastic, that are used as support for climbing plants. Plants such as butterfly pea, bitter gourd and long bean have weak stems and tendrils that naturally twirl and climb around nearby structures. Trellises can support multiple plants, and are best used with plants that naturally climb over each other. If a trellis is tall and wide enough to work as a shelter when plants are grown over it, it is called a pergola, and can be used as a focal point within the garden.

Trellis materials

Different trellis materials will complement your garden’s design and plant types. Some examples are:

frontal view of a vine cover archway that serves as a trellis, over a woodchip pathway, surrounded by lush greenery and a HDB block in the background.

Plastic trellises, which are flexible and light. They generally last between 1-10 years, but prolonged exposure to the sun can make the brittle. Most plastic trellises can be bought at plant nurseries and garden shops, and can also be made from PVC pipes for additional customisation.

Malabar spinach growing densely on a small metal trellis

Metal trellises, which are heavy and resilient. They last between 3-10years, but may be prone to rust if they are not coated with paint or glaze. They also tend to heat up when exposed to a lot of sunlight, which can cause plants to burn. Metal trellises can be made from fencing, wires, metal pipes or poles with soldering.

A wooden trellis covered in vines built around palm trees next to a swimming pool.

Wooden trellises can be heavy or light, but are also biodegradable and lasts between 3-5years in the tropics, even when coated with resin and other waterproofing materials. Wooden trellises are commonly upcycled from old bedframes, plywood and palette wood.

Featuring a small bamboo trellis in a medium sized plastic pot with a vine growing over it. there are other potted plants with individual trellises in the surrounding.

Bamboo trellises are very flexible and light, but are also not sturdy and will degrade after 1 year if the bamboo is not sealed with plastic or resin. Bamboo tends to snap under weight or in high winds, and thus should only be used for very light climbing plants like butterfly pea in sheltered gardens with less wind.

Trellis shapes

An archway connecting two raised wooden planter beds covered with lush green plants and hanging gourds.

Arch trellises are great for maximising spaces above walkways or at the entrance of a garden. Plants with fruits that hang down like bitter gourd are fun options for arch trellises.

a lush garden planter bed filled with plants and a teepee trellis with a vine growing on it. there are other raised planter beds and trees in the background.

A teepee trellis consists of three poles bound at the top, and are a a fast and simple way to make a trellis. This trellis type is ideal for light plants like butterfly pea.

A row of rectangular plastic planter boxes on the ground in front of wall trellises with vines growing from the planter box onto the trellis.

Wall trellises are ideal for small spaces, and can be used to line the edge of a garden.

Close up of a cage trellis constructed from thin bamboo pole segments and zipties in a large round planter on a gravel ground. there is a plant growing in the pot using the trellis for support

Square or cage trellises can also double up as a cage stake and are easily constructed in large pots and other small spaces.

Safety

Trellises should all be stabilised via footing, lashed to supports, or secured with concrete underground. Trellises should be stable enough to endure shaking by people and windy conditions within the garden.

Close-up of a metal bar with a gray plastic cap, garden background with green plants and wire mesh in the blurry distance.

Some trellis materials like plastic and bamboo may have sharp points or consist of hollow poles. Caps can be used to shield gardeners from points and to prevent water collecting in the poles, which is an important part of managing mosquitoes in the garden.