How to Make an Awesome Garden Twig Trellis

This DIY twig trellis is easy to create by using extra branches and sticks from your own backyard, and a spool of twine.

Making a garden trellis can be as easy as gathering together branches and twigs in your yard. Especially at the end of winter, or early spring, when you are out cleaning up the debris.

Instead of tossing them all in the compost pile, or burning them, save some for a rustic garden design that you can make with your own two hands.

This post contains some affiliate links (that means if you make a purchase after clicking a link, there's no additional cost to you, but I will earn a very small commission. ) i.e. as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

How to Make a Garden Trellis from Twigs

The process is very easy. Gather your branches and experiment with the layout on the ground or patio.

Using natural twine, lash the branches together at intersecting places. Use larger sticks for the main parts of the trellis and smaller branches for creating interest such as the arch and heart shape.

If you want to make an arched trellis or any curved area, consider using live branches that you have pruned for the season. In the case above,  I used a sapling of some wayward tree, that decided to show up in the wrong spot in my garden.

The inside of the arch seemed much too bare, so I added a couple of hydrangea branches that I had just pruned from my huge Hydrangea paniculata 'Limelight' shrub in a heart-shaped design. Typically live thin branches are easy to bend into the shape you want.

Dig a couple of holes for your trellis to be set into. Tamp the soil down around the base to keep it in place.

I planted a clematis that was growing on my hillside. The area is so overcrowded I thought this would be a perfect place to relocate the vine. I think most clematis plants would do well here and the trellis could handle their size and weight.

I'm not sure if a climbing rose or some of the other perennial climbers would work, because they may be too big for this little guy. However, sweet peas and annual vines, such as morning glories or black-eyed susan vine would be perfect for this trellis.

The final result is a little crooked. However, I don't mind it. It has a rustic trellis charm that will look great when it is covered with climbing plants and all the other plants fill in this garden section.

This area at the back of the house used to be shaded by a huge evergreen. I have hosta, perennial begonia, and goat's beard planted here. They will still have some morning shade, but by mid-day, the area will receive a lot more sun. So, I may need to change things up a bit. 

You could also plant edibles to climb up this trellis depending on the amount of sun needed.

Just another excuse to buy more plants.