We put up our new trellises the other day, and I’m pretty happy with them. These were the 9′ Panacea Giant Wall Trellises I wrote about earlier. They’re certainly a big improvement.
Judy and I installed them so that the bottom is a couple feet above the ground, and so the trellises still reach all the way to the top of the wall. I may hang a little netting at the bottom to help the vines reach the trellises.
Anyway, here’s the old trellis. Looks pretty trashy by comparison, if you ask me.
The trellises have brackets on the back which hang onto nails or screws you fix to the wall. Since this was a brick wall we had to use a masonry drill bit and masonry screws. We positioned the second trellis so that it partially rests on the front door landing.
Here’s an important tip from the pros: on your power drill, just above the trigger, there is a little horizontal switch which can be set to F (for Forward) or R (for Reverse). It is MUCH easier drilling into a wall if the little switch is set to F. Please don’t ask how long it took us to figure this out.
In other news, there are a few more Crocuses in bloom. Here they were open wide to enjoy one of the few sunny days we’ve had lately. Pretty sure this is Crocus tommasinianus.
And these, I think, are C. chrysanthus ‘Blue Pearl’.
This one should be ‘Goldilocks’.
Also the Hellebores (Helleborus orientalis) have begun to bloom, though the plants have just started to fill out.
Today it was cold and rainy again, so I pinched off a baker’s dozen blooms and set them in a bowl of water. I’ve always wanted to do that. Please disregard my foot at the lower right corner.
Spring may be progressing slowly, but it is progressing. And I’m feeling quite accomplished that we got the new trellises up. Now to count the days until the Clematis vines wake up and cover the wall with blooms.
gardeninacity 
Looks good, Jason!
Thanks!
If it is only two feet or so from the ground, there is no need to add mesh below. Clematis can figure it out. If you see that they don’t find it right away, you can just tuck them behind the trellis.
That makes sense.
The Hellebores look lovely in the bowl..
Paul and I were pleased that you and Judy took a while to fingered out the “F” on the power drill… sounds like something that might happen in this household.
I’m going to be cutting Paul’s hair from on …what could possibly go wrong!
Not much, as long as he’s confined to the house.
Great article.
Thanks!
Thanks for the laugh and congratulations on the new trellises — very nice!
You’re welcome.
The battery died on my old drill and I went online to order a new one. Turns out I could buy a new drill for the same price. Then I wondered how many times I would actually need one in my future since I am now likely to hire someone to do something for me. As for that little switch, seems like I made that mistake every time I used the drill.
If you lived closer, I would give you one of my extra trellises. Still have one with no place to go, so I am thinking of buying another wisteria. But….
I actually ordered three of the trellises but only needed two. Now I have to choose between returning the third or buying another vine so I can use it.
Sorry for laughing at the drill mishap! Sort of thing that would happen to me…. Love the floated hellebores, and can‘t wait to see that smart trellis covered in flowers. 😉
I’m eager to see the Clematis on bloom also on its new trellis!
Thank you for the power drill chuckle, but I wasn’t laughing at you only with you. I can use a lot of tools, but the power drill and I are not ‘good’ friends. 🙂
Well, it’s a relief you were only laughing with us.
The floating hellebores are gorgeous. That color is so rich — I’m not sure I’ve ever seen it outside of nature. As for the drill, I not only laughed, I snorted when I read that, but mostly because I’ve done it myself, and still have to remind myself to hit that switch from time to time.
I meant to add that the trellis is lovely. In fact, it’s quite nice even without floral adornment.
This is a straight species Hellebore, but it does have some color variation. In a day or two I’ll cut new flowers and there will be more of a mix.
Thanks for leaving us all laughing at your adventures with the drill! The trellises look great. Can hardly wait to see them covered with clematis blooms. Enjoy your various crocuses, mine are all finished but the large one called ‘pickwick’, which is always the latest to bloom. Floating the hellebores is a lovely idea, thanks.
Is ‘Pickwick’ the one striped white and purple?
Yes, and it’s such a striking charmer!
They look classy! You made me laugh with the drill tip. It took me awhile to discover that handy feature, myself.
It seems I have to relearn it every time I use the drill.
Mmhm, me too.
Good job. Doesn’t it feel good to do a job well and have the neighbors compliment you?
It certainly does.
That new trellis is brilliant! Can’t wait to see it—via your pictures. Laughed out loud about the drill. Fortunately, my husband is handy, but if it were just me, I would have been in the same boat as you and Judy. 😉
You’re lucky indeed to have a handy husband.
You bet! Especially since I am the most unhandy person imaginable. 😉
It looks great!
Thanks!
looking good! and expertly installed, I want to add 😉
Old World craftsmanship.
🙂
That trellis does look very smart! Your crocus are lovely and I love the hellebore’s in the dish, I may do that tomorrow,xxx
I think tomorrow I’ll cut new hellebores. They seem to last a bit less than a week.
Your Jackmanii is gorgeous. It certainly deserves a grand trellis. Here Clematis will grow but don’t get so huge–just not enough rain for them. I need to do some trellis shopping myself as the scraps of wire fencing cobbled together are pretty shabby.
Know all about that F/R switch, and confess I’ve tried drilling a zillion times with it in reverse, all the while wondering why the drill wasn’t making any progress.
We were wondering if our house was made from some special, extra-hard brick.
I had a laugh with the forward and reverse drill directions that took you a while to figure out, Jason. I’m a bit of a veteran at drilling holes into walls from the sheer number of vine-eyes we have skewered into the house. I’m looking forward to seeing the trellis disappear under a cascade of purple flowers.
As am I!
Well done on getting the trellis up and for figuring out the complicated technical details. Spring seems to come much later to you and then you catch up all of a sudden later in April..
Yes, I am jealous of the English spring which seems to start in the middle of winter. And as you say, in April our spring starts making up for lost time very quickly.