Our Bestselling Nicole Arch Trellis

The very first metal trellises I ever bought—a birthday present to myself—were two custom-made, beautiful arches. For years, my clients and students would tell me, "I want a trellis just like yours."

So I set about figuring out how I could create a shippable version of my arch trellises so that you and I could be trellis twinsies. I sawed one of my originals in half and shipped it to our manufacturer. They sent us back a prototype, we made some adjustments, and voila! We have a kit for my trellis that can ship right to your doorstep.

I have used this arch in so many of my kitchen garden designs for clients and featured it in my first book, Kitchen Garden Revival. I now have four of them myself, the original two and then two new kits that serve as entrances to my kitchen garden.

If you're considering whether this trellis is right for your garden space, keep reading, and I'll tell you all about the dimensions and easy setup.

Nicole Arch Trellis Material

The Nicole Arch Trellis is heavy-duty, even though the parts are hollow. This trellis is a high-quality, durable piece of garden architecture made out of powder-coated steel for added weather resistance. Of course, anything made of metal that's outdoors will eventually rust over time, but this trellis is made to last for many years.

If you've ever put together a trellis kit with lots of nuts and bolts, you know that it's each of those little connections that breaks down and rusts first. This trellis requires no screws, nuts, or bolts to avoid having areas of weakness.

I've received numerous questions about how strong this trellis is. People want to know if it'll hold up under perennials like climbing roses, and the answer is yes. The metal provides a sturdy structure, and there are four stakes to secure the trellis in place. I weigh about 135 pounds, and I can hang from my Nicole arch trellises once they're properly installed in the garden.

Dimensions of the Nicole Arch Trellis

TRELLIS HEIGHT

This trellis measures 88 inches (or not quite 7.5 feet) tall at the very top of the arch.

Note: If you plan to put this trellis in a raised bed, you'll want to bury it deeply. Once it's installed, the top still shouldn't be much more than 7.5 feet above the ground. Even with the base buried, however, you'll still have 6 or so feet to grow indeterminate vines like tomatoes, pole beans, and cucumbers, all plants that can grow at least 6 feet tall.

TRELLIS WIDTH

The base measures 67 inches on the outside, or just over 5.5 feet wide. From one interior side to the other, the width is 65 inches. This measurement is important to know how wide a pathway can be between two raised beds if you're spanning the arch over the pathway. That means your pathway could be as wide as 5 feet, and you'll still have room for this arch trellis to go on either side.

If your pathway is more narrow, this trellis can still work; you'll simply push your trellis deeper into the interior of each bed instead of having it right on the outer edge.

TRELLIS DEPTH

From front to back, this trellis measures 15 inches. This measurement is important because this is how much space you have to plant vining plants along the base. I love this depth because you can grow at least four cherry tomatoes around each base and still give every plant plenty of space.

Easy Assembly

A few things to know before you start:

• This trellis arrives ready to assemble — no screws, no bolts, no tools needed
• Assembly takes about 15 minutes with two people; one person holds a side while the other connects the panels
• Lay all pieces on grass or a soft surface to protect the finish
• Have a rubber mallet on hand if you're using the ground stakes

Your Nicole Arch Trellis kit should include:

• 4 ground stakes
• 8 panels

Step 1: Build the top arch first.

Start at the top. This gives you a stable shape to work from and makes the rest of the assembly much easier.

Step 2: Add the side panels.

Slide each side panel onto the sides of the arch. The trellis connects by sliding female ends onto male ends — no tools needed.

Step 3: Lock it into place.

Once all panels are connected, the trellis should feel solid and complete. Give it a gentle shake to confirm everything is secure.

That's it. The whole thing comes together in just a few minutes, and once it's up, you'll wonder why you waited so long to add a trellis to your garden.

How to Install the Nicole Arch Trellis

Be sure to use the ground stakes if your trellis is going in the ground. Mark the spots where each ground stake should go. Use a rubber mallet to secure the spikes and bury them all the way to the square to ensure the trellis will be secure.

If your Nicole trellis is going in a raised bed, you'll bury it about 10 to 12 inches deep in the soil You can use the ground stakes for added security, but you'll also need to bury part of the base of the trellis so that it's nice and secure. If your raised garden bed is less than one foot deep, you'll want to dig into the earth at least four to six inches and secure your trellis deeper with the ground stakes.

If you're retro-fitting your arch trellis in a bed already filled with soil, I'd recommend digging out the soil in the area of the bed where you'll install the trellis. Then, you'll place the trellis and its stakes, and backfill all the way to the top of the raised garden bed with soil.

What Can I Grow On an Arch Trellis?

Here are a few ideas of what to plant on your Nicole arch trellis:

COOL SEASON:

• sugar snap peas
• fava beans
• snow peas
• runner beans

WARM SEASON:

• cherry tomatoes
• cucumbers
• pole beans
• climbing nasturtium
• passion vine
• hyacinth bean

HOT SEASON:

• tomatillos
• asparagus beans
• Armenian cucumbers
• luffa gourds
• passion vine
• coral vine

Make Your Garden Beautiful

A trellis isn't just a structure; it's the moment your garden goes from a collection of plants to something that stops people in their tracks. An arch trellis is a unique addition to any yard. I've installed these arches in hundreds of gardens over the years, and the reaction is always the same: pure delight. It's time to take your garden to the next level!