Lofty Garden Elements - 4 Easy Ways to Add Vertical Interest to Your Landscape

Looking for some new ways to add color and visual interest to your garden?  In this article, we'll explore 4 types of vertical garden elements that will spice up your landscape.

There are a number of yard and garden elements that provide height.  Some of the more obvious of these might include trees, fences, decks, and tall shrubs.  However, all of these garden elements have one thing in common: they are permanent.  While it is important and often times necessary to have these types of structures, sometimes it's better to have the option to move your vertical garden elements around, as needed.  In this article, we'll explore four non-permanent vertical elements that you can use to spice up your garden or landscape.

#1 - Hanging Baskets
Hanging baskets are one of the easiest ways to add a vertical element to your garden, plus they have the benefit of being mobile.  Most homeowners who do any type of outdoor planting will find themselves using hanging baskets at some point.  They come in many varieties, colors and materials to compliment your decor.  Most common are the free hanging baskets that allow flowers to drape down all sides as well as up the hanger.  By moving your hanging baskets around, you can easily provide a splash of color to a specific area of your yard or garden at any time throughout the growing season.

#2 - Trellises
Trellises have been long been used as a vertical garden element, giving support to climbing vines and flowers and providing elevated color on sides of structures.  Garden trellises are also available in varying sizes, shapes, colors and materials.  Depending on the type of climbing plants you use, trellises can be moved around from year to year as your landscape design changes.  Trellises with flowers in full bloom make a spectacular privacy barrier.  Another option for portable garden trellises would be to place a smaller trellis in a pot or planter base, creating a movable vertical structure for your deck or patio.

#3 - Obelisks
Obelisks are another type of trellis, usually in a tall, slender pyramidal shape.  These unique structures create a look all their own in a landscape.  Because they resemble a piece of artwork by themselves, obelisks can provide visual interest in a garden even without the addition of a flowering vine.  However, when an obelisk and a great climbing plant are paired together, it can create a real show stopper in your landscape.  Obelisks are another garden element that can be placed in a pot or planter, and then moved around through the growing season.

#4 - Arbors
Arbors are another way of giving your garden height.  These large garden structures can be the focal point of a landscape, or they can be used as a welcoming entrance.  While many arbors are permanent structures, either set into cement, or staked firmly to the ground, this doesn't have to always be the case.  Many arbors are now available with footed bases that can rest, freestanding, on a deck, patio, or sidewalk.  Usually some large and heavy object must be placed on top of the base, to weight the arbor down and prevent it from blowing over in strong winds.  A large potted plant would be an excellent choice for this purpose.

No matter what your choices are for your garden or landscape, using vertical elements is a good way to add structure and visual interest to an area.  And more specifically, when your vertical elements can be easily moved and repositioned as needed, it's easy to keep your yard and garden looking its best at all times.  With the large array of vertical garden products available today, your perfect landscape design is limited only by your imagination.

Article Tags: Garden Elements, Vertical Garden, Vertical Elements, Hanging Baskets

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