Design Elements · Trellising

Trellising: 11 from real Napa & North Bay projects

Trellising is how I soften vertical hardscape and add green where there's no ground to plant in. A fence, a blank wall, the side of a structure — a trellis lets planting climb it and turn a hard edge into a living one. It also frames views and creates enclosure, which helps define each outdoor destination as its own room. I choose climate-appropriate vines that will be lush without fighting the site, and I design the structure to look like it belongs to the house rather than being bolted on afterward.