Trellising, the Next Big Thing

This weekend I'm taking a by-week in the garden as we're actually expected to have a social life and stuff. Stupid I know, but there it is.

But it means I have more time to plan out my Next Big Garden Project (NBGP). Usually I approach my NBGP's with excitement, but this one has the potential (at least more than others) for me to put out an eye.

Let me set the stage for you. Big frost kills half the 30-year old ficus shade tree in side yard. We trim it back (OK, we pay a guy to trim it back). The very next winter, same thing happens again. We are now the proud owners of a glorified 9 foot stump with little branches/leaves sticking out on the sides. If you listen close, you can hear it yelling "I'm not dead yet!"

In the meantime, all the ferns and monstera who depended on the shade are getting a sunburn. I thought about planting another Oleander, since they grow fast, but I don't think the delicates will make it till then. And given the age of all the plants we're talking about, moving everyone would be such a pain.

So I'm building a trellis/arbor/thing! Forget what you've seen on HGTV when they put one of these suckers up, this is strictly being done on the cheap by a person who, quite frankly, has no idea what she is doing. What could go wrong?! Also, we don't own a drill, so it will all be hammered together, which is not what they do on HGTV. So here we go.

Next weekend is the time. I'll have four pieces of wood, probably 2x4s, and some trellis. Maybe I'll even spring for concrete for footings! but probably not. It will at first be a disaster, then later it will either be a failure or a success. That is how my DIYing goes. Prepare yourselves.