7 Top Metal Garden Trellis Ideas for Climbing Plants and Roses (Cheap & Easy to Install!)
Want to add serious style to your garden? These metal garden trellis ideas will transform your space without breaking the bank!
The right trellis can completely transform your outdoor garden space. But have you seen the price tags on large metal trellises lately?
Fortunately, you can get the same elegant look and durability but without the high price-tag.
Whether you want to add charm, maximize vertical space or create privacy, I’ll show you the best cheap and easy-to-install garden trellis ideas that I have implemented in my own rose garden.
Whether growing romantic climbing roses in your English garden, embracing cottagecore with fragrant honeysuckle, these low-cost trellises will give you perfect support for your climbing plants and vines.
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DIY Metal Garden Trellis Ideas
Best Metal Obelisk (Circular Trellis) Option
Before I started growing roses, I always admired the tower-like circular trellises you often see in English gardens. I soon learned that they are called obelisks and have more than a few in my own garden.
Because I wanted something low-cost and durable, I bought an easy-to-assemble obelisk on Amazon and sprayed it with two coats of spray paint to help it hold up to the elements.
CLICK HERE FOR THE CURRENT PRICE OF THESE METAL OBELISKS
I have several of these obelisk trellises that I assembled and spray-painted, and they have held up really well after two years!
CLICK HERE FOR THE CURRENT PRICE OF THESE METAL OBELISKS
Did you know you don’t have to use obelisks on just climbing roses? I love how they look on tall florist roses to dress them up and to get structure.
These smaller obelisks work well on smaller climbers like Chippendale, Masora, and Abraham Darby. For larger climbers, I like to use another low-cost option.
CLICK HERE FOR THE CURRENT PRICE OF THESE METAL OBELISKS
How to Turn A Cheap Metal Windmill Into a Large Trellis (Obelisk)
I have always wanted a large obelisk trellis, but unfortunately, I never saw one online for under $200.
One day, I was scanning Facebook Marketplace and saw an old windmill for sale for only $30. It looked like a great option for a climbing rose in the middle of my yard! (Below, I share where you can get the same windmill to make your own!)
It didn’t even have the round upper fan part, but that’s fine because I wouldn’t need it anyway. I took off the square piece at the top by unscrewing the screws.
This is what the windmill initially looked like in its heyday, but by the time I bought it the top section was missing:
CLICK HERE FOR THE CURRENT PRICE OF THIS WINDMILL
I hosed it down and let it dry before attaching this wood finial with Gorilla Glue to the very top.
After the glue dried overnight, I spray painted the whole thing with Rustoleum Spray Paint in Black Satin (find it here!). I let it dry for 15-30 minutes and then sprayed on another coat.
After letting it dry overnight, I had a large, beautiful obelisk that cost me less than $50. That’s not a bad deal!
CLICK HERE FOR THE CURRENT PRICE OF THIS WINDMILL
And, guess what?!? You don’t have to stumble on an old windmill if you want your own obelisk.
I loved my new obelisk so much that I bought the same cheap windmill on Amazon and did the same process for my Strawberry Hill climber.
You can buy that windmill here: 8-Foot Metal Windmill on Amazon
CLICK HERE FOR THE CURRENT PRICE OF THIS WINDMILL
You can also find it at Wayfair here or at Walmart here. To make your own arbor, simply leave off the round fan part and the square at the top.
Even with buying a new windmill, this arbor is a lot cheaper in comparison to what a metal trellis of this size would normally cost.
I love how both of my windmill obelisks are focal points in my yard, and they are perfect for climbing roses! Also, they didn’t cost an arm and a leg.
IMPORTANT: Don’t forget to check out the instructions for how to spray paint trellises at the end of this post!
Best Metal Arbors for Climbing Plants and Roses
Arbors look so romantic, giving your garden so much added interest and dimension. But don’t buy one at your local nursery as you can save so much by getting them online, unassembled.
I’m almost too embarrassed to admit this, but I have not one, but FOUR arbors in my yard. Yes, I went a little crazy!
One of them is this large metal arbor in my front yard for a climbing rose called Florentina. I got this steel arbor online for only 49.99 with free shipping, which is a GREAT price for a sturdy metal arbor: Vingli Metal Arbor at Walmart Online
CLICK HERE FOR THE CURRENT PRICE OF THIS ARBOR
The arbor is actually dark green, and I spray-painted it black with Rustoleum Spray Paint in Satin Black after I assembled it. I would have spray-painted the arbor anyway for added protection, so this didn’t add an extra step.
I’m so happy with this arbor, and I love pulling into my driveway and seeing it with Florentina’s gorgeous red blooms.
Vingli Metal Arbor at Walmart Online
Another great wrought iron arbor option is this one I found on Amazon. It’s more ornate but also a little more expensive at $85.00 with shipping – still a good deal for a 7-foot steel arbor! You can find this arbor here: Ornate Metal Arbor with Scroll Work
Current Price of the Ornate Metal Arbor with Scroll Work
These are the same arbor as I found here: Ornate Metal Arbor with Scroll Work Also, to read about my plastic pavers click here: The Best Lightweight Faux Stepping Stones
Current Price of the Ornate Metal Arbor with Scroll Work
A Great Low-Cost PVC Arbor for Climbing Plants and Roses
Climbing plants on trellises make great use of your vertical garden space. With trellises, you can grow a relatively large plant in your yard that doesn’t take up much square footage.
And if my metal arbors were not enough, I also have a white PVC arbor for my climbing roses, Spirit of Freedom and St. Swithun. It’s surprisingly sturdy, and you can find it here: Vinyl Arbor at Wayfair
RELATED: How to Give Metal Outdoor Furniture A Makeover with Spray Paint | 50 DIY Curb Appeal Ideas
How to Make A Large Metal Trellis out of Smaller Trellises
When we moved into our home 8 years ago, I wanted a larger trellis to fill a large blank space of brick on our house near the driveway.
The lighting is perfect here as it gets southern exposure, so it’s an ideal spot for my climbing rose Pioneer Spirit.
I didn’t love the prices online of large trellises, and I wasn’t sure how I’d get one to my house anyway. So, I found this tall narrow cathedral trellis at Lowe’s and had an idea!
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I bought three of these heavy-duty trellises, laid them on the driveway, and staggered them so the middle section is taller than the other two. Then, I use these heavy-duty black cable ties to attach them to each other. Be sure to use several so it holds them flush.
Fortunately, the cable ties blend right in with the trellis. Also, your trellis will eventually be covered with a plant to hide them further.
Then, I laid the large trellis against the brick wall and buried the two ends so it looked like one large trellis.
So many neighbors have asked me where I got this big trellis. The trellis still looks great after all these years, and it was a lot cheaper than buying one big trellis of the same size.
And this idea will work for ANY tall narrow trellis, so you can customize it to the exact size you need and your own style!
Flat V-Shaped Trellis in a Planter
Last but not least, I got this V-shaped trellis several years ago at Lowe’s, and it has held up really well. I’m so happy with how it looks in this planter that I painted white.
My star jasmine doesn’t seem to be bothered that the planter isn’t that big, and she put out a huge flush of blooms this spring.
How to Spray Paint A Metal Garden Trellis
- After assembling and tightening the screws, set your trellis in a shadey spot in the grass where it won’t hit with sprinkler for at least 6 hours. I like to set mine on a piece of cardboard.
- Shake the can of spray paint well. I like to use Rustoleum in Black Satin. Start spraying a LIGHT coat of paint on the trellis, shaking the can left to right as you go. Don’t try to get full coverage on the first coat. That’s impossible to do without lots of drips.
- Let the first coat dry anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour. If you wait longer than hour, then you have to wait at least 24 hours before the next coat, so make sure to spray your next coat between the 15 to 60 minute window.
- Spray a light coat on for the second coat and let it dry 15 minutes ago.
- If you don’t have full coverage, add a third coat and you should be done!
- Let it dry in place 24 hours.
RENOVATE YOUR FAITH: Are You Overplanning Your Life Away? Here’s How To Reclaim It!
At the beginning of December, I went a little too overboard with planning and setting goals for this year. I ordered an expensive planner and even watched the goal-setting videos that came with it. Before I knew it, I had every little aspect of my life planned and listed in bullet-point form.
When I took a closer look at what appeals to me so much about planning and listmaking, I realized that an overabundance of lists gives me a false illusion of control – that if I complete all my tasks, my life will be as it should…or at least “good enough”.
But when you make a list of “rules” for you to fulfill, your list becomes your taskmaster and you are its slave.
Most of my projects include a corresponding devotional. For more spiritual encouragement, click here for the rest of my project posts that also include Renovate Your Faith devotionals.
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Final Thoughts on Metal Garden Trellis Ideas
My neighbors ask me all the time where I get my trellises. It just goes to show that you don’t have to spend a lot to have a gorgeous yard. These metal trellises give structure and beauty to any garden no matter your style. Not only do they add a lot of character but they save a lot of space by using vertical space.
I love to hear your thoughts and questions! Scroll down to leave a comment and I WILL reply! ❤️
Blessings,
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Karin Peters is a DIY expert and the creator of Renovated Faith. She is a furniture painter, a home design consultant, and a tenacious problem solver determined to help you transform your house into a home. With 17 years of experience with DIY home improvement, she researches and analyses professional processes to adapt them to be easy and cost-effective for DIYers. She then tests every project and product before it appears on the site in a detailed, step-by-step format. After attending Texas A&M University, she received her Master of Divinity with Biblical Languages at Southwestern Baptist Theology Seminary. Her passions unite in Renovated Faith, which shows readers how to create a home that serves them so they can pursue their God-given purposes. About Renovated Faith | Editorial Policy | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn