Garden Arbors and Trellis Reviews and Buying Guide:

Arbors and trellises make a great addition to any home garden and give your yard some style. Landscaping is not always the easiest thing to do for homeowners, but placing an arbor at the entrance to your garden or along a walkway can be just the right touch. Arbors are aesthetically pleasing and they allow climbing vines, roses, ivy, and other plants or bushes to climb up the arbor creating a beautiful look. Arbors come in 4 general styles - gothic, gable, arch, and pergola. The most popular tend to be arch arbors with rounded tops. A gabled arbor has a triangular top that is slanted. Gothic arbors have more curves and the tops are sharply pointed. Pergola arbors have a squared off design that go well in most yards. The basic material choices for your arbor include copper, wood, iron, and vinyl. Wood is probably the most common material used because when you use cedar wood you get something that is insect resistant and moisture averse. Garden enthusiasts are slowly turning to vinyl arbors since they are pretty much maintenance free and don't fade like wood or copper over time. Iron is the strongest material you can choose making your arbor very sturdy and if it's powder-coated it will weather proof. Copper is durable as well and it will turn "greenish" over time.

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We have all probably been to a wedding where the bride and groom were married under a wedding arbor. I'm not sure what the significance of the arbor is, but they do make a great place for wedding ceremonies. Some arbors come with built in benches, swings, or even gates. In terms of how wide you want your arbor, you will find some under 42 inches wide with others going beyond 60 inches in width. Experts agree that when planting heavier vines such as wisteria around an arbor, make sure you have an arbor made with stronger materials like iron or copper to support the weight. If your yard gets winds coming through it, the arbor will need to be fastened to the ground so that it doesn't get knocked over so easily. Garden arbors will cost you about $150 to $500. As for trellises, they are great for vines and roses that need to climb. Wood trellises and wall panel trellises are the most common types, but you will also find iron trellises, fan trellises, and vinyl trellises. For a unique look in anyones yard, consider the obelisk trellis that is free standing. Planter box trellises let you create a design where flowers or plants grow down below while the vines or roses shoot upwards on the trellis. Whatever you choose keep in mind that vinyl trellises are easy to maintain and don't show wear as much as other materials. Iron trellises are sturdy and do a great job of supporting larger plants that may overwhelm other types of trellises. We have setup 2 trellises in our vegetable garden to handle our bean crop, but they work well with cucumbers, squash, and even grapes. Trellises tend to be cheaper in price than arbors because less material is required to produce them. We did some online research at Simplyarbors.com and Gardenarborstore.com to see which styles are the most popular and which arbors are selling the best. Most home improvement stores like Lowes and Home Depot will sell arbors and trellises as well. Stores like Target and Costco often carry garden arbors or trellises seasonally, so check there as well. We have tried to list as many varieties as possible down below with pricing, reviews, and where you can find them (online or in retail stores).

Best Garden Arbor:

There is no "best garden arbor" technically, but the majority of homeowners go with a nice wooden arbor that will blend into any yard just fine. Styles range from simple to elaborate and some have benches or gates. One of the most popular wood arbors on Simplyarbors.com is the Nantucket Arbor ($300) made with Western Red Cedar. People go with this model since the cedar is resistant to insects and moisture making it a durable wooden structure in your yard. The gabled style top will help this arbor go perfectly at the entrance to any garden or yard. The arbor comes partially assembled with some left to the buyer to complete (estimated assembly time is 1/2 hr). The arbor has a width of 47 1/2 inches and it stands almost 100 inches tall. There are ground stakes included if you want more stability. Owners say the design is attractive, the wood is weather-proof, and any DIY (Do-it-yourselfer) should be able to assemble it.

Vinyl Arbor:

Vinyl has become the latest material used in outdoor products like arbors, trellises, benches. Vinyl arbors have the look of painted wood, but you never have to paint them or do much maintenance. Vinyl garden arbors are long lasting and durable making them a great gift to yourself or a friend. We found the Brookfield Vinyl Arbor ($399.99) listed on Gardenarborstore.com for almost $30 less than the competition. The arch styled arbor has lattice side panels which should be perfect for flowers or vines. Assembly is estimated at almost 3 hours, so be prepared to struggle a bit with this arbor. On the bright side the manufacturer gives you a 20 year warranty assuring you of the quality. The color is white and the width is 37 1/2 inches.

Wedding Arbor:

Planning on getting married outdoors somewhere? Why not go with a wedding arbor to make the moment even more special. I was lucky enough to get married outdoors and the gazebo at the facility had an arbor that extended outwards where I stood with my bride for our vows. Unbelievably beautiful is all everyone could say at the end of the ceremony. Wedding arbors look great in your yard even if there isn't anyone getting married. The Somerset Vinyl Arbor ($200) that is listed on Simplyarbors.com goes up in less than 1 hour and is made with high-grade PVC vinyl. You get 14 inch anchor stakes to secure it into the ground. Consumers say the arbor is great since it requires little maintenance and it looks great with flowers growing up the sides. The lattice design on the sides gives it added style and many owners say they get comments on this product all the time from friends and family.

Obelisk Trellises:

One of the most unique looking garden trellises is the obelisk trellis. The Obelisk Trellis ($140) is offered on Simplyarbors.com and features UV-protected vinyl which is weather-proof and maintenance free. You will never have to paint the trellis or protect it from fading. The assembly takes about 30 minutes and requires snapping together the pieces. Owners say it's best when you place it somewhere permanently and don't try moving it around all the time. The trellis stands 6 feet tall and consumers say it's perfect for climbing roses and flowering vines.

Wood Trellis:

Wood trellises are probably the most common type of trellis you will see in yards. We have several near our vegetable garden and they do a great job with plants that like to climb up objects. There are wall panel trellises, fan trellises, and arch trellises made from wood that compliment any garden or backyard. Most gardening or landscaping store will sell them - a basic cedar trellis kit (5 feet) runs about $30. More extravagent wall trellises can cost closer to $300 with intricate designs and solid craftmanship. I have found that some of the wood on the ones that I bought breaks rather easily, especially when I was trying to hammer it into the ground. For some good ideas on the different designs available, go to Trellisstructures.com.

Planter Box Trellis:

Avid gardeners and landscapers realize that some items in your yard make or break the effect you are trying to convey. A planter box trellis is one of those items. The Sunburst Trellis w/ Planter Box ($220) lets you grow flowers or small plants in the lower planter box while flowering vines and climbing roses fill up the trellis area. This combination look in your garden will definitely draw attention from friends and neighbors. The Sunburst Tellis is made with PVC vinyl (20 year warranty) and stands 78 inches tall and 28 inches wide. Comes in white and green colors and takes about 30 minutes to assemble. I have found some of these planter box trellises at Home Depot and Lowes that are even cheaper. If you go with a wood material, choose Western Red Cedar since it is resistant to moisture and insects prolonging its life.

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