Video: How to Build and Plant a DIY Arbor

Last updated: May 25 2021

Key takeaways

Choose a sunny location with well-drained soil before building your arbor, ensuring it provides enough space and support for mature climbing plants.

Use durable, weather-resistant materials like cedar or pressure-treated lumber to build a sturdy arbor that will support vines for many years.

Plant climbing vines a short distance from the arbor to encourage healthy root development while training new growth onto the structure as it matures.

An arbor is the perfect way to add interest to a large landscape area. And they look even better when they're covered in graceful, draping vines!

In this tutorial, watch our friend Dee from Dee's Yard build a DIY arbor and pergola at her Tennessee home - and plant some gorgeous grapevines to grow over it.

Follow along in the first video as Dee sketches and plans out her arbor, places her posts and constructs the arbor and pergola. Then, watch video 2 to see how she landscapes her new arbor with Triumph Muscadine Grapes from Trees.com.

If you want to give your backyard a unique, Mediterranean look, lush grape vines growing along an elegant arbor are the perfect choice. Learn how to build your own in the videos below!

Watch the two-part tutorial:

Episode 1: How To Build A Garden Arbor

In the first video, Dee plans and constructs her new arbor. See the process from start to finish, including creating the plan, placing the posts, staining the wood and creating the arbor!

What you'll learn:

How to plan and measure a garden arbor
What materials you'll need
How to place a garden arbor in your landscape

Episode 2: How To Plant And Train A New Grape Vine

Dee's arbor construction is complete - now, follow along as she plants some beautiful Triumph Muscadine Grapes along each side. As they mature, they'll grow to cover the arbor with foliage and fruit!

What you'll learn:

How to plant grape vines and other climbing plants around an arbor
How to prune and train vines to maximize upward growth

Written by

Abby Healy

Abby is an avid plant lover and the Director of Content at FastGrowingTrees.com. She grew up in Maine, graduated from Davidson College, and now resides in Charlotte, North Carolina with her husband and two dogs. Her previous roles include leading content teams at Red Ventures, a large digital media company, and launching the content and marketing functions at an ecommerce analytics start-up.

While her indoor plant collection is always growing, she also loves landscaping tips and learning more about plant care and maintenance. Her favorite plants are Japanese maples, roses of all kinds, and unique house plants.