WHAT IT TAKES
TIME: 30 minutes
SKILL LEVEL: Beginner
Climbing plants add an attractive third dimension to gardens. And the good news is that they don’t care if their support is a pricey architectural statement or a couple of sticks.
A “teepee” made of bamboo stakes fits right in with a country flower or vegetable garden. It’s cheap and simple to build and store. All you need are twine and some 3/4-in.-dia. bamboo stakes. Plunge the stakes (three or more, depending on how big you want it) into the soil so they form a teepee when the tops are bound together with twine as shown. Annual vines from beans and peas to morning glories will scramble up just about any support and quickly cover it up (inset photo), so if this bamboo doesn’t look attractive to begin with, just wait a few weeks.