Rainbow Garden Trellis
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Think outside the fence! This free-form trellis -- made of garden stakes and painted by hand -- gives veggies and vines a colorful place to climb.
What you'll need
- Handsaw
- 6 wooden garden stakes (ours are 3/4-inch square and 5 feet long)
- Hammer
- 1 1/4-inch wire brads
- Paintbrush
- Acrylic paint
How to make it
1 Saw two stakes into 15-inch lengths and two into 20-inch lengths (a parent's job). For our trellis, we cut seven (15-inch) lengths and four (20-inch) lengths.
Lay the two remaining uncut stakes parallel on a flat surface, roughly a foot apart. Lay a 15-inch length horizontally across the tops of both stakes, then nail it in place (parents may need to help).
Leaving 18 inches of stake clear for inserting into the ground, nail on the remaining horizontal and diagonal pieces in a configuration you like. For stability, you'll need at least three horizontal rungs. (Tip: To brace a diagonal length that does not span the width of the frame, slip it behind the trellis, as shown, then nail it on.)
Paint the trellis and let it dry.
