DIY Network

Gardening Tips Find out how easy water gardening can be, how to build a garden path and much more about making your garden beautiful. From "Today Show Tips" episode DTST-114

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A diamone-shaped decorative element helps break up the strong vertical lines of this trellis but still provides plenty of room for a growing plant.

Trellises and Lattice

A lattice can be a trellis, but not all trellises are lattices. Or is it the other way around? Find out the difference — and the different uses for each of these garden structures.

• A trellis is an architectural feature in the garden that can act as a support for a vine or a climbing rose.

• A lattice can be used for the same purpose, but primarily, latticework refers to the thinness of the wood that's used. A lattice also can be used for screening, for privacy or wind screening.

Both trellises and lattice are often made of red cedar, which is naturally weather-resistant. It weathers gracefully without any kind of pressure treating, and it can last for decades.

The easiest way to tell the difference between a lattice and a trellis is the size of the grid. Trellises have much larger open spaces that allow plants to grow through and around it, as well as straight up. They're typically made of thicker wood, too, so that they can support large climbing roses or climbing hydrangea, for example.

A lattice, on the other hand, has a grid that is usually symmetrical; the openings often are about the same as the width of the slats forming the grid, and the construction in flimsier. If you want to use a lattice as a trellis, you'll need to stick to lighter-weight vines, such as many clematis, black-eyed Susan vine, or morning glories.

Here are some tips for building and mounting a trellis:

• Make a sketch of the trellis you want to build. Include all measurements so that you'll know how long to make the cuts in the cedar lumber. Plan to use 1x1 lumber for the structure. (If you're adding decorative touches, you can use lighter wood for them.) Once you're satisfied with your design, cut the cedar to size. You may want to mark the back of each piece to identify its position in the trellis.

• Use a table saw to make dado cuts everywhere that two pieces of wood will cross each other. Measure carefully before cutting. The dados will provide a professional, even look for the trellis.

• When you're ready to assemble the dadoed pieces, use a rubber mallet to tap them together. Then assemble the entire trellis with 1" brads.

• If you're using cedar, you can leave the wood unfinished. If you're using pine, though, you'll need to stain or paint it or at least apply a wood preservative.

• If you plan to attach the trellis to your house, be sure to mount it so that it's about 3 inches away from the wall. If you mount it too close, the moisture and shade from the plant and the lack of air circulation could cause the wall to rot. One way to ensure adequate clearance is to use lag bolts that run through 3" pieces of copper tubing.

• Once you've attached the trellis to the house, plant the vine at least 6 inches from its base. Loosely tie the stem to secure it to the trellis. Depending on the kind of plant, you may need to provide additional ties as it grows, or it may provide its own support by twining around the trellis.

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