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When you picture a formal garden, what comes to mind? Perhaps you imagine berms, overflowing with spring flowers. Maybe you envision a fountain, set at the confluence of gravel paths. Possibly, if youve toured some of Europes great gardens, youll also envision an elaborate trellis, covered in fragrant rose blossoms. Indeed, trellisworkor treillage, if youre feeling fancyhas been a beloved garden feature for centuries. Andif youve always dreamed of planting one yourselfyou wouldnt be alone in your admiration: Pliny the Younger described vine-covered pergolas as early as the first century. Back in 1625, Francis Bacon described lattice carpentry work as an ideal feature of a garden. Walt Whitman yearned for trellises in his 1855 book of poems Leaves of Grass. Even if your version of Pliny the Youngers lavish villa looks more like a cramped urban patio or raised beds on a slab of concrete, a garden trellis is a pretty way to update your spacewhether youre looking for a space-saving way to add greenery or cover up that unsightly wall or fence. What Is a Trellis, Actually? A trellis is typically an interwoven frameworkThe Oxford Companion to the Garden describes it as a crisscross screen of slender wooden rods or stripsused for training viny plants. While their use can be traced back to antiquity, trellises became extremely popular by the Renaissance. French gardeners, however, took treillage to the next level. In the 17th-century, landscape architect Andr Le Ntre built elaborate trellises for Louis XIVs elaborate gardens at Versailles. Here, at the apex of their fashion, trellises went on steroids, morphing into elaborate outdoors rooms and tunnels. The Oxford Companion to the Garden notes that the jardinier treillageur was the highest rank of gardener at Versailles. Today, your garden-variety trellis is usually a simple lattice frame. It can take the shape of an arbor, pergola, or pavilion at its fanciest, or prop up a climbing plant in a planter at its simplest. You can spot trellises indoors too, though these are usually strictly decorative wall treillage. What to Plant on a Trellis Trellises are designed for climbing plants. Just what climbing plant you choose depends on your spaces lighting conditions, climate, and personal taste, but possibilities abound. Want a romantic vibe? Go for climbing roses. Want a dreamy fragrance? Try star jasmine. Looking for a retreat straight out of the English countryside? Plant wisteria. Even if you dont have a backyard, you can get a mini indoor trellis for viny house plants, like pothos plants. Still not sure where to start? Below weve outlined the prettiest trellis ideas, whether youre looking to spruce up your patio or create your very own Versailles. 1Simple Backyard Trellis Paul CostelloOne of the best benefits of trelliswork is its ability to cover an unsightly wall in a blanket of green. Designer Sara Ruffin Costello uses the tactic beautifully in her New Orleans home, where a wire lattice hosts delicate vines. Combined with planters and even a small tree, this look is giving whole new meaning to urban jungle. Shop the Look2The Espaliered Fruit TrellisClive Nichols//Getty ImagesOne of the most classic tricks of an English garden is the use of a rustic brick wall to espalier a fruit tree: The branches are trained to grow flat, typically in a pattern, creating a visually arresting geometry on an otherwise plain surface. This method also makes the fruit easy to harvest. Shop the LookAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below3Simple Trellis John M. HallThe contessa may be barefoot, but her garden shed is anything but. Here, in Ina Gartens fabulously lush backyard, a petite studio building is positively smothered in vines. A simple wood trellis creates a moment of breathing room amid it all.Shop the Look4A Trellis for CreepersFrank Frances StudioIn this Florida vacation home by Robert A.M. Stern and interior designer Ellie Cullman, a low trellis for a creeping vine creates a barrier between deck and patio while enhancing the topography visible from inside the house. Bonus: Try growing grapes on a low trellis like this one. Shop the LookAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below5Dining Oasis TrellisDouglas FriedmanCould there be anything more festive than a pool surrounded by palm trees? Yes, if you add a bougainvillea-covered arch! Here, fashion maven Liz Lange tapped her bestie Jonathan Adler to create the Palm Beach house of her dreams. She wanted a surreal fantasy where nothing bad could ever happen, Lange tells us. And nobody gets that better than Jonathan.Shop the Look6Rustic Trellis Dominique NabokovTheres something delightfully chic about this slightly disheveled French country home (no coincidence, its just outside Versailles). But thats precisely what its owner, the fashion designer Agns b., loves. Here, the garden is mostly let to run wild, including the vines that cover the house and race up a rustic arbor above the entry. Shop the LookAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below7A Trellis Calling from Inside the HouseRicardo LabougleIf you are so lucky to find yourself with an indoor, open-air courtyard, try mounting lattice or other creeper-friendly apparatuses in places that will allow vines to cascade, like in this plant-filled atrium at the center of Vik Muniz and Malu Barrettos studio building in Salvador, Brazil, designed with architect Brenda Bello and landscape designer Alex S.Shop the Look8House-Enveloping Trellis Heritage Images//Getty ImagesLike evolution, some gardening ideas are about the survival of the fittest. Look no further than Charles Darwins own English country bolthole, where latticework covers the houses entire rear facade. Shop the Look9Pumpkin TrellisMark Turner//Getty ImagesNot all trellises are for blooming plants. You can also use these structures to help tame your vegetable patch. Here, the homeowner planted pumpkins, but the same tactic would work for squash and melons as well. Shop the Look10Pergola Trellis Jumping Rocks//Getty ImagesWhy not use a trellis to create a lush garden tunnel to stroll through? Here, the rose-covered structure not only looks pretty, but also provides shade while youre taking care of some pesky weeds. Shop the Look Advertisement - Continue Reading Below11Grill Station Arbor Douglas FriedmanOutdoor kitchens are getting more tricked-out than ever, but we prefer a more natural approach. Here, a simple grill station is accessorized with planters, pottery, and a vine-covered arbor. Whats cookin, good lookin?Shop the Look12Door-Flanking TrellisesTim Graham//Getty ImagesWant a warm welcome? Frame your door with twin trellises. This look is not only simple to execute, but also imbues your entry with a dash of English country charm. Top of the morning to you too! Shop the LookAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below13Mobile Trellis Dorling Kindersley: Will Heap//Getty ImagesAlways on the move? Or simply cant make up your mind where to put your vegetable patch? Put your plant pals in a trellis-on-wheels, as shown in this clever greenhouse idea. Use it to move your plants when lighting conditions change or simply use it as a leafy patio partition. Shop the Look14Privacy Screen TrellisAndreas von Einsiedel//Getty ImagesIn addition to covering unsightly walls, a trellis can be a chic alternative to a humdrum backyard fence. In this charming al fresco vignette, one covered in vines forms a verdant partition while blocking out curious eyes from outside. Shop the LookAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below15Patio Trellis Bjrn Wallander"It was a sleeping beauty covered in vines," Mona Nerenberg says of her Sag Harbor home. She leaned into the romantic look on her back patio, where a pergola covered in white wisteria gently drapes over a rustic dining table. Shop the Look16Combined Fountain Trellis Ellie WalpoleA trellis can be a style statement all on its own. Just ask London-based garden designer Butter Wakefield, who transformed this urban patio into a country-chic oasis. Here, a trellis adds visual interest to an otherwise hum-drum wall, thanks to finials, lighting, and an edgy black paint job. Bonus points for the elegant water feature. Shop the LookAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below17Versailles Trellis AFP Contributor//Getty ImagesNothing beats the real thing, which is why its worth examining Andr La Notrs masterful 17th-century gardens at Versailles. The Enceladus Fountain is surrounded by am impressive tunnel of treillage. And while you might not have one of gardening historys greats at your disposal, you can actually buy quite a convincing replicafor a pretty pennyfrom a U.K. dealer. Let them eat cake? We happily will beneath this beaut! Shop the Look18Go Barely There with a Stainless Steel GridMarlene PixleyAs this garden designed by Janice Parker proves, opposites attract. A clean, modern stainless steel trellis of cables looks beautiful on a rustic wall, as well as on a smooth surface planted with white climbing roses, the landscape architect explains. Not only are thin stainless steel wires strong enough to support your growing flora, but they look almost invisible when paired with a textured wall. Just be careful about where you put the (ahem) petal to the metal. We [dont] put the trellis on the side of a painted wood surface of a house or a barn, as when it comes time to repaint the structure, it becomes very difficult, Parker adds.Shop the LookAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below19Create ContrastJane BeilesIf you want to make your trellis pop, consider affixing a thick wooden structure to your garage or barn. A trellis is a timeless way to create architectural interest in a garden, as well as showcase a plethora of flowering vines, designer Kristina Phillips explains. They evoke a sort of romantic English garden feeland can be kept clipped or left rambling. Though the white roses here certainly speak for themselves, the bold lattice creates a country contrast as you wait for those flowers to bloom.Shop the Look20Make a MomentNEIL LANDINO JR.You dont need to have an opulent water fountain or pergola to elevate your gardens design. Instead, let your trellis work overtime to deliver on form and function. Nothing is better than an arched iron trellis over an urn planted with apricot campsis vines, Janice Parker adds.Shop the LookAnna FixsenDeputy Digital EditorAnna Fixsen is the deputy digital editor of ELLE DECOR, where she oversees all facets of ELLEDECOR.com. In addition to editing articles and developing digital strategy, she writes about the world's most beautiful homes, reviews the chicest products (from the best cocktail tables to cute but practical gifts), and reports on the most exciting trends in design and architecture. Since graduating from Columbia Journalism School, she's spent the past decade as an editor at Architectural Digest, Metropolis, and Architectural Record and has written for outlets including the New York Times, Dwell, and more.Kelsey MulveyKelsey Mulvey is a freelance lifestyle journalist, who covers shopping and deals for Good Housekeeping, Women's Health, and ELLE Decor, among others. Her hobbies include themed spinning classes, Netflix, and nachos.
