DIY: Invisible Trellis

By Kate Riley July 8, 2009

When we began our remodel in 2005, it required that we dramatically grade our rear yard to accommodate for the extension of the home.  Our rear yard has an uphill slope.  After all the tractors departed, I was left with a gigantic six foot eyesore of a retaining wall.  The only way to cover it was with clever plantings.

In the spring of 2008, I started the landscaping process by making my own invisible trellis to hide the wall.  An invisible trellis is an inexpensive way to train a vine up a wall without the expenditure and installation of wood lattice or a metal trellis.

Here’s a look at my version up close:

An invisible trellis is very easy to install, and virtually maintenance free.  The only tools you need are a drill for pilot holes, wire cutters, and a measuring tape.  The only supplies you’ll need are screw eyes and galvanized steel wire, pictured below.

 

The first step is to map out your trellis on your wall or fence.  I used a pencil to mark off the location for the screw eyes along the upper diagonal of my wall, then created a vertical and horizontal grid 12 inches apart.  The second step is to drill pilot holes where you’ve marked the location for your screw eyes.  Once all of your screw eyes are installed, simply connect the eyes with your galvanized wire to form the trellis.

The invisible trellis virtually disappears on the wall, and allows the beautiful vine to put on a show.  And here is the wall after installing the invisible trellis, a citrus tree, and some shrubs.  It’s amazing how greenery can turn something functional into something lovely.

 

Last summer, I planted two pink bower vines, a type of jasmine.  In summer, my bower vines give me pink trumpet shaped blooms with dark pink throats.  The added bonus is that the plant is an evergreen, so it stays green all winter long, hiding my wall throughout the year.

 

 

For another brief tutorial by Martha on installing an invisible trellis, look here.

Happy trellising !

 

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25 comments

  1. BTW, congrats on your feature on the DIY Showoff today!
    *tricia

  2. It looks great! Question: It looks like you used stucco or plaster first over the block walls. Is that right? We are trying to figure out what to do with our standard builder-issued cinderblock walls. Hubby wants them lighter so they won't kill our garden in the Phoenix heat. Any how-to's about the wall are greatly appreciated. I think we may do your trellis idea (I'm all about cheap), but that will take a while to get going, I'm afraid, and the plants are dying now.

  3. Kate, that's awesome!! It's like your own little Eden. :) Beautiful…bet it's a good spot for family photos!

  4. Kendra,
    We used a product called Archistone, which is a reconstituted limestone product that goes straight on the cinder block, no need for the wire required by stucco application.
    Good eye !
    Kate

  5. I tell you what, I LOVE where I live, but you make me want a house in Cali! Gorgeous!

  6. Wow, what a beautiful garden. I MUST make one of those trellis's. My backyard has stairs just like that up to 2 garden levels. We just moved in, in March and its a craaaazzy jungle. I need to do major work. I would love to know what plants/flowers you have planted there… beautiful.
    Great inspiration. Thank u.

  7. I'm always taken aback and how truly gorgeous your home is. Lovely garden.

  8. Beautiful area! I have pink bower vine, too; such a pretty flower and I love how they bloom in clusters. If you don't already, be sure to pull off the seed pods before they burst open and spread their soft cottony seeds.

    Question: did you have to use a special type of drill bit for the wall?

  9. I've always wondered how that was done. Thanks for sharing this today! Blessings to you…and PS I just adore your blog!!!

  10. I have the great wall of China in my backyard – totally going to figure a way to do this, I think.

  11. Great idea for the invisible trellis. Your flowers and vines are beautiful. Wow!

  12. Your Pink Bower vine looks gorgeous!!! I notice mine is not flowering… instead, I have many pods that look like plumped up pea pods. Do you cut yours off to encourage flower growth?

    Thanks!

  13. Oh, no the photos are not loading on this post! I was trying to show my husband this so that he can build one for our passion flowers!

    • Hi Tiff, I don’t recall what we used, whether it was a standard tip or one designed for concrete, but they do make those drill bits!
      Kate

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