Arch trellis - which direction? N-S or E-W (2024)

FAQs

Which direction should an arch trellis face? ›

Face the opening whichever direction works best for your garden's design. If possible, orient your arch so the opening faces north/south. This provides maximum sunlight exposure to both sides of the trellis.

The general recommendation is to run a trellis North-South so that both sides get equal sunshine without a side (such as the North side in a East-West trellis) being shaded out during the day.

Positioning

Once you have chosen the location for the metal raised bed, you'll need to find a spot on the metal raised bed for the trellis. It's usually best to place it in the center or on one of the sides so that the plants can grow against and over the arch.

Arbours can be placed at the end of a path as a focal point or against an expanse of wall or fence to break it up. Arches make a statement at the entrance of a garden or over a path, especially when planted with scented climbing plants such as roses or Honeysuckle.

Use a spirit level and plumb line to ensure it's vertical. Then you need to secure the garden arch so that it cannot move. You can use wooden supports or large stones to do this. As soon as the garden arch is secured and perfectly positioned, pour a high-quality, quick-setting concrete mix into both holes.

We recommend a trellis that's tall enough to accommodate growing vines, but not so tall that you'd have to stretch to pick. Our trellises measure 6 feet tall, but anywhere from 4 to 6 feet will work for growing most vining plants vertically. If your vines begin to grow out of hand, pinch off the top tip of the vine.

Pro Tip: Orient the trellis so the growing surfaces face east and west, rather than north and south, to maximize sun exposure on both sides.

They should be mounted on the wall vertically so that they do not restrict plant growth. Ideally battens should be narrower than the trellis frame so they'll be hidden by the trellis once installed. An alternative is to use smaller pieces of wood in each corner as "batten corners".

The trellis might be the perfect filler for an empty spot in the garden, or even for a part of the garden that's not so nice to look at. A perfect spot might simply be the place where you grow climbing plants, whether these are flowering plants like climbing roses or a simple climbing cucumber.

West is the brightest!

If your windows face West, they can get many hours of direct sun every day. West-facing light is great for many houseplants and can burn others. Make sure you know whether the plants you select can handle direct sun (we have filters for that:) Take note of any obstructions to your light.

Should raised beds be north-south or east west? ›

That said, most recommendations agree that planting north-south is marginally better. The north-south orientation allows the sun to penetrate the garden by shining down the rows. This is especially helpful during the winter gardening period when the sun stays relatively low in the sky.

Arbors can be arched or straight at the top and are supported by a small trellis, usually about two to three feet wide, on each side. This creates a pleasing effect when entering or exiting an outdoor area and nicely frames the space, highlighting the path over which it resides.

The Best Width for your arch trellis

Arch trellises are typically between 60 and 80 inches wide. Make sure to pay attention to whether the sides of the arch trellis you're eyeing have any kind of curve to them.

To take full advantage of growing on an arch trellis, you should look for a metal trellis that's at least 6 feet tall with bases that are 1 to 2 feet wide so that you can plant several vining plants on each side. The height is important because many of our favorite vining plants are vigorous growers.

Pro Tip: Orient the trellis so the growing surfaces face east and west, rather than north and south, to maximize sun exposure on both sides.

It does not make a massive difference, but there are a couple of reasons I choose to plant on the inside. First, as the plant grows up the inside of an arched trellis, it will naturally grow through the trellis to the outside on its own which makes for less work.

Trellis help you cover a wall with climbing plants without worrying about them damaging the structure of the wall. Don't secure the trellis flush against the wall as this will leave no room for your climbers to twine around it and prevent air circulation around your plants.