3. Arched Garden Trellis Tunnel
Imagine walking through a tunnel of green into your garden. An arched trellis isn’t just a fence—it’s an experience. This idea works beautifully as a privacy screen along a pathway or as a focal point at the entrance to a vegetable garden. When the climbing plants fill in, the arch becomes a living doorway.
Materials: Cedar or pressure-treated 2×2 boards for the ribs, EMT conduit or flexible PVC for the curve, cattle panel or wire mesh for the climbing surface, screws, and zip ties.
Time: A long day or two depending on the length.
Difficulty: Intermediate. Bending the ribs into a smooth arch takes a little patience.
Build two side panels first by attaching wire mesh to a rectangular 2×2 frame. Then, connect the two side panels with curved ribs at the top. You can shape the ribs by soaking thin wood strips overnight, or skip the headache and use pre-bent metal conduit. The result is a tunnel you can walk through, sit beneath, and grow anything from climbing roses to grapevines over.
Wisteria is the showstopper here, but it takes a few years to establish. For quicker coverage, try scarlet runner beans, nasturtiums, or perennial sweet peas.