Screens and Trellis in Gardens

Screens and trellis are similar to fences. They are principally used for concealing or dividing one area from another, and they can be decorated with climbing plants for a more attractive finish.

Solid screens are often used to hide an eyesore, such as an oil tank or a dustbin. They can also be used to mask off part of the garden, with only an archway cut into the screen that allows further exploration of the garden. These dense screens are usually made of wood and are available in a variety of different sizes and designs, to suit most styles of garden.

Other screens, made of wrought iron or wire netting, are open so that light can filter through, silhouetting the foliage or flowers that grow up the vertical surface. This type of screen will also provide a tempting glimpse of what lies beyond. Wrought-iron screens look particularly good used in association with brick or stone. For a more solid, permanent screen, pierced concrete blocks can be used, but the overall effect may look harsh and fussy, and the geometric patterns do not always complement the fluid lines of plants or the sweep of a lawn.

For a simple screen, stretch a length of wire netting between upright posts and cover it with climbers; evergreens will ensure that little of the netting is visible. Screens can also be constructed out of other materials such as bamboo canes; placed close together they will form a solid, ribbed barrier; set further apart, they will make a more open and decorative screen. For less solid screens, it is also possible to weave bamboo and other softwoods, while rough hurdles made from hazel (Corylus) or willow (Salix) are also available. These make attractive and appropriate rustic screens for less formal gardens.

Lengths of trellis tend to look more elegant than screens, and a great deal of thought should go into their design. The most elementary types consist of square or rectangular panels comprising horizontal and vertical laths that create a squared pattern. Common variations include laths that cross each other diagonally and laths that move on opposing diagonals from a central upright, to create a chevron effect. The panels are held between upright posts that should be concreted into the ground.

If the trellis is to support climbing plants, it must be made from relatively thick, strong laths, but as a decorative feature it is better to use a thinner wood so that the overall appearance is graceful and stylish. The more ornamental trelliswork is often associated with archways or pergolas laid in sweeping lines with finials on each post. Rustic trellising can be constructed from rough poles.

All screens and trellis must be well secured to posts concreted into the ground as the wind can exert considerable pressure on them, particularly if they are covered with plants. If they are not painted then they should be treated with a preservative other than creosote, which is harmful to plants.