Although you can buy ready-made trellis, you may want to make your own to get the look that's just right for your garden. You will need to use pressure treated timber; tiling battens or roofing laths are ideal for this purpose.

Tools and Materials

• lengths of 38 mm x 18 mm tiling battens
• 25 mm x 75 mm or 25 x 50 mm treated timber to make a frame
• a spacer - a piece of timber the same width as the spaces you want to make your trellis
• metal corner fixings
• galvanized nails or staples
• nails
• saw
• hammer

1. Make the Frame

Make two rectangular frames the size you want your finished trellis using 25 mm x 75 mm or 25 x 50 mm treated timber. Cut the corners at 45 degrees to give a neater finish, and fix pieces together using metal brackets.

2. Position the Battens

Cut the vertical battens to length and lay them out on the ground. Space them uniformly to your gauge, using the timber spacer. Cut the horizontal battens to the size you need, and put the first one in position on top of the vertical pieces. Use nails or staples to attach the horizontal battens to the vertical pieces at every intersection. Continue with the other pieces using the spacer until you have built up your trellis.

3. Complete the Frame

Place the finished trellis panel on top of one of the frames. Lay the other frame on top to complete the double frame. Either attach the two frames together with nails or use brass screws with cups for a more decorative effect. For a taller framed trellis, you may want to add a bracing bar across the middle of the panel to strengthen the structure.