I have a city garden and a allocation in which I build fruit, vegetables and cutting edges of flowers, and without plant supports we would look at a hot, flopped mess.
My army of sticks, obelisk, cord and inserts are the unsung heroes of my beds and borders; Keep potential, sloppy peony that enable peas to climb and promote healthier, happier plants with larger, better harvest.
I have rounded up the best types of plant support, broken down into flowers that flop, plants and fruits and vegetables. And as with all support, the key is to bring them in place before everything falls dramatically above itself.
Of course, this will make all of this appear instead of trying to fix the problem after being searched together, which can create a rather unpleasant, straight look.
The best plants support flowers that flop
1. Vulture rings for floppy trees
Agrames
Elegance rounds grow through the frame
This elegance round grows through frames from agrams that are the plant medium, of which I never knew they existed, but now not without life.
They are the Wonderbras of the horticultural world. Ideal for first -class flowers such as peony and shorter dahlias, growth supports enable the plant to weave through the grille itself, and gently lift flowers to the sky. In addition, double bonus: the leaves often cover the support themselves.
2. Netting or bamboo grid for cut flowers
Sarah Raven
Natural jute network
As with the growth option mentioned above, the ideal scenario is that your plants work through their support in a natural way. The purchase of individual support is simply not feasible for cut flowers, so they have to be big. For light flowers such as phlox or corn flowers, they long along their beds horizontally.
Sarah Ravens Natural Jute Network, £ 16.95 is perfect. Make sure you extend it and firmly because I had pigeons who love nothing but sit on the line and laugh at the whole thing.
For the larger boys such as Dahlias and multi -headed sunflowers (Vanilla Ice Variety, £ 1.49 by J. Parkers is a personal favorite), build a frame from bamboo. This is exactly what I do with my allocation, and a pleasure works and can be reused every year.
3 .. decorative supports for pots
Ivyline
Ivyline plans supporter, big, bronze
If you are looking for small space garden ideas, a mini plant support or a frame can literally increase your container planting and offer you so many other growing options.
I love this for dwarf sweet peas, 99p from Thompson & Morgan, which grow up about 30-45 cm. Ivyline's Outdoor Pot Plant Support, £ 34.99 by John Lewis, is just the thing for the job.
4. Sticks and string for almost everything
(Photo credit: crocus)
If your plant needs a gentle encouragement to stay upright (and not something you can take off), bamboo and jute string will often do the job. For contemporary plants such as sunflowers, which you tie together on a well-placed stick, like this VERVE bamboo sticks, £ 6.50 of B&Q can be everything you need.
For multi -storey varieties such as dolphinia and sweet rocket and even dahlias, put three to four sticks around the plant. Tie the string to everyone to create a loop around the plant to keep the stems in place.
The best plant supports climbing systems
1. Vine Eyes and wire for training rose walls or fences
(Photo credit: Getty Images/Grafxart8888)
I planted three climbing roses that grew along my garden fence, and it is one of the best things I moved to our house two years ago. They soften the width of painted black wood and create a beautiful aromatic flower wall. And with careful binding and knowing when you have to curtail climbing roses, the structure is still beautiful even in the winter months.
Vine Eyes and galvanized wire are the best way to do this. These vine eyes and wire kit, £ 13.85 from Practicool at Amazon, is a great way to get started.
First think of the width and height that the system is supposed to cover at some point and then mark where the wires should go. You want the first to be about 60 cm above the floor above the floor, then each additional wire is over 30 to 45 cm above. A good rule of thumb is to use every 1.5 m vine eyes to keep the wire in place, and these should be attached firmly to the wall or fence.
2. Obelisk and arches for border altitude and interest
Obelisk and arches not only support – they steal the show. These are properties. I have two steel belisk in my garden that support a climbing rose and clematis, and yes, they are an investment, but they give their limits such a presence, especially if they are missing on trees or high bushes. I love this little round obelisk, £ 44 from Hayloft; At 1.15 m tall it is seamlessly in any garden.
Dramatic structures are also perfect for climbing one -year -olds such as sweet peas, cup and saucer vines and black -eyed susan. (Pro tip: You can combine yearbooks with perennials on your obelisk for multicolored displays!)
3 .. grille for feature walls
Gardening
Barrington Arch Trellis
Trellis is ideal for a more permanent structure and works for everything that climbs, be it cucumber or hydrangeas – yes, you can get climbing shorts! And they don't have to be boring either. Try this Barrington Arch Trellis, £ 70 from Garden Trading, which has a beautiful detail with cross -printed cross and combines wonderfully with bare brick.
In my garden I also have a grille along a fence, where I trained an incredibly powerful clematis as well as a bucket leaf and a climbing rose. It is one of these great garden ideas for privacy that also give beautiful color and fragrance.
Best plant gems for fruit and vegetables
1. String for tomatoes
(Photo credit: Future/Natalie Osborn)
Grow tomatoes this year? My preferred tomato training technology is to repair a vine eye to the top of a fence and then plant the tomato with a long piece of cord under the roots.
I use Nutscene's Twine Jute String Ball, £ 15. Then I bind the other end of the cord to the vineyard and weigh the stem gently around the now tuned cord, with the plant anchored the other end in place.
2. Pipe structures for climbing vegetables
(Credit: Alamy)
Classic, reliable and graciously cheap bamboo skirts (like these high -performance bamboo skirts, £ 29.99 from Elixir near Amazon) are a staple for training climbing such as beans and peas. Tipis and Wigwams are the best choice and press them safely into the ground and tie them firmly with Jute cord on the tips, since they would be surprised how heavy the harvest will be!
Read our guide to create a Wigwam when you need a helping hand.
3. arches for pumpkins and pumpkins
Agrames
London eye plant frame
For plants that have serious heavy fruits, you have to call the big weapons. Bows are an astonishing way of growing pumpkins and pumpkins, as the fruits will be hanging for the simple harvest later in the season.
You can of course grow them along the floor – but where is the fun in it? I love the London eye plant frame, £ 228.99 from Agrames – a splurge, but built for the duration.
Over the years I have learned that the investment saves a lot of drama in plants early in the season.
The right support makes everything look a bit more intended – and means that you can enjoy your garden without rushing with emergency cord after a windy night.
Bring them in before your plants need you and you will tacitly continue with the task of keeping everything together.