Wildcrafted Garden Structures
Making Bentwood Trellises, Arbors, Gates, and Fences
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- Pre-Order
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- Expected Jun 16, 2026
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- $17.99
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- Pre-Order
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- $17.99
Publisher Description
Create simple, sustainable, and affordable bentwood projects to beautify your yard.
Nothing combines natural beauty and functionality more gracefully than a rustic bentwood trellis, arbor, gate, or fence for your outdoor space. With clear illustrated step-by-step instructions you'll learn how to collect limbs from a wide variety of native trees as a part of routine pruning and then use those limbs to make beautiful, sturdy bentwood projects. A list of vining plants that grow well on trellises and arbors is also included. In just one day, learn how to make: Butterfly Trellis with graceful curves and elegant latticework. Stack of Hearts trellis reminiscent of the late Victorian era. Gothic Arches trellis for small-leaved vines. Golden Gate Bridge fence inspired by the famous San Francisco bridge. Setting Sun fence that can be made using little wood.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Gardener Long (Herbs 101) delivers an innovative guide to crafting bentwood garden structures, a technique that involves bending and nailing together tree limbs to create trellises, fences, and gates. To locate wood, Long instructs readers to grab trimmings from their own yard, look for downed limbs after storms, and inquire with local farms and nurseries. The wood should be freshly cut (no more than 24 hours before beginning a project) so it doesn't lose its flexibility, he explains, noting that suitable trees include ash, birch, and cedar. Long's basic trellis design involves nailing long tree limbs to form a rectangle and bending the top into an arch. Crafters can bend wood pieces to add intricate designs, like hearts, lattices, and loops. Gates can be created through a similar process, with the additional step of latching the structure to a post. Other projects include a fence with a setting sun design, a craftsman-style arbor, and a bamboo tower. Elsewhere, Long recommends edible and decorative vines to grow on trellises, like cucumbers, sugar snap peas, and honeysuckles. Filled with aspirational photographs of beautiful finished projects and helpful illustrated instructions, this will inspire gardeners to add a handmade touch to their outdoor space.
