I’m excited to share this fun project with you today – Easy DIY Garden Decor Using Tree Branches. I love using natural elements like stones, logs, driftwood and branches as decor in my gardens. I’m lucky enough to have a hubby who is handy and likes to tinker around with these items and make cool things for my gardens.
This post was:
Several years ago, he made a chair out of branches from a maple tree we had to cut down.
It’s super cute, right. Unfortunately, it only lasted a few seasons. However, making me another branch chair is on his “HD List.”
In the home we live in now, we have several big old maple and ash trees that are always dropping limbs and branches, so we have a ready supply for projects and bonfires. This is the pile of wood he started with. Please pay no mind to all the weeds and junk, it’s all contained in a neglected, unseen part of the yard.
I asked hubs if he could make me some type of rustic ladder trellis to lean against the fence for vines to grow on. He said easy and got to work. First we decided how tall we wanted the ladder, and he pulled out two longer branches and cut them to around 6 1/2 feet. Next, he cut the rungs, or the cross pieces. Simply decide the width you want your ladder and go from there.
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Once he had all the pieces cut, he went about putting the ladder together. To secure everything in place, he used his trusty Bostitch Brad Nailer. Using a brad nailer made this project super easy, but if you don’t have one, you can use zip ties to hold the rungs in place and then wrap them with jute cord to hide the zip ties. I loved the first one so much, that he ended up building another branch ladder.
The finished product turned out so cute and was super easy to build. I love them – they are perfectly imperfect!
As a reminder of this project, here’s a Pin you can pin to one of your
DIY or gardening boards on Pinterest. Thanks for pinning!
This one has silver lace vine growing on it.
Here’s the other branch ladder used as part of a little vignette in the shade. It has a Cathedral Bells vine growing on it, which will probably never flower because I have it in too much shade.
I hope you enjoyed our Easy DIY Garden Decor Using Tree Branches project. Thanks a bunch for stopping by Gingham Gardens. Are you going to add this to your project list? It really is a very easy and fairly quick garden decor project that adds tons of character to your garden.
If you like whimsical garden decor, be sure to check out: Upcycled Vintage Garden Decor. Garden Decor (Lots of Creative Ideas for Your Garden) is a fun post too. Oh, and I think you’ll love – Garden Vignettes Using Flea Market Finds.
Please do me a huge favor and share this project on Pinterest. Just hover in the upper left-hand corner of the pictures and you’ll see the pin icon. There are also some collages to pin at the bottom of the post. Thank you for helping me out!
Now is the very best time to plan out your gardens for next spring, so be sure to check out the post DIY Garden Journal. And, my latest garden tour – Flower Gardens in September is a very popular post, so don’t miss it. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave a comment at the bottom of the post.
Happy gardening,
Joanna
Follow Gingham Gardens on Pinterest for lots of great gardening ideas and tons of gardener’s eye candy.
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Emilee Anderson says
What a great idea! I’d love to add a ladder like this to my garden if I can just find the branches to make it happen. Such a great use of natural materials and a fun alternative to a metal trellis.
Joanna says
Hi Emilee – thanks for stopping by Gingham Gardens and taking the time to leave a comment. This really is an easy project. Good luck and have fun with it! Joanna
Markie says
Hi. Love the tree branch ladder and chair. I made a arbor out of treebranches years ago. Went over a path to a small fish pond in my front yard. Planted trumpetor vine to grow over it. Lasted about 5 years then we had a bad wind storm. Blew it over. Wish i would have taken pictures of it.
Joanna says
Hi Markie – thanks for stopping by. Your arbor sounds awesome! I think you should make another one.
Ki says
I have really long pieces of bamboo I wanted to make a trellis of some sort to have vines growing to add privacy on a chai link fence.
Now I know how I will do it! Great use of nature and it’s beauty in everything perfectly imperfect!
Joanna says
Thanks so much, Ki. Good luck with your project.
Gnomegirl says
Hello Joanna. I’m from Milwaukee Wisconsin. Love your garden ideas. We have the same garden zone….with those cold winters. I enjoy repurposing items for my garden. We also have a backyard unseen spot with stuff lying around so I can relate. Looking forward to more of your ideas. Happy garden crafting.
Joanna says
Thanks so much for stopping by and taking the time to leave such a kind comment. It’s always fun hearing from a gardener from my zone.
Maristella says
Beautiful pictures and an inspiring post!Hugs!
Joanna says
Thanks for popping over, Maristella!
Shirley says
Great use of natural materials much better then all that plastic. Thanks for sharing. You have done a great job!
Joanna says
Thank you, Shirley. I agree! Merry Christmas to you and yours! Joanna
Bonnie Morgan says
Love your rustic ladder trellis and chair. So creative!
Joann, do you know why I have to type in all my info every time to comment?
Joanna says
Thanks Bonnie. Ummm, I’m not sure why you’re having to log in every time. It’s probably something to do with my spam filter. Thanks for letting me know and I’ll look into it.
Pam Richardson says
Joanna, I am featuring this post tomorrow at Gardens Galore.
Joanna says
Thanks a bunch, Pam. See you at the party.
Julie says
This is so beautiful, I love it. Such a pretty idea and not too difficult to make either – bonus!
Joanna says
Hi Julie – thanks so much for stopping by. I’m so glad you like our DIY Branch Ladder Trellis.
Nichel Adams says
This is to cute I love it I love decorating with old rustic stuff too thanks for the idea
Joanna says
Thanks so much for stopping by Gingham Gardens, Nichel! I’m so happy you enjoyed the tree branch post. Come back soon!
Bright says
Hi there! I just wanted to say I enjoyed your post. I love willow chairs and wish I could find someone to make one near me. Love the ladder trellis idea. Something to make for next spring!
Joanna says
Thanks so much for stopping by. Have fun making a branch ladder for your garden.
Margy says
Cute ideas. We get lots of branches in driftwood at our float cabin home. – Margy
Joanna says
Thank you! I would like to have more driftwood pieces in my gardens.
Jann Olson says
So cute Johanna! I love things made from branches. I would like to make a willow wattle fence some time. They look so cute in your garden. You probably already know that the Silver Lace Vine will over take your trellis in no time. 🙂 Thanks for sharing with the Garden Party.
hugs,
Jann
Joanna says
Hi Jann, thanks for stopping by. I’ve really enjoyed the Garden Party this summer and I hope you ladies do it again next year. Yes, the silver lace vine will outgrow my branch ladder by next summer. I brought a little piece of it from my old garden when we moved 2 years ago and it’s already pretty big in comparison to what it started out being. Thanks a bunch for hosting.
Donna via Funky Junk Interiors says
Oh Joanna! Just when I knew I already loved a good branch project you take me over the edge…. this is outstanding! I adore how imperfect those branches trail every which way!
I’m featuring this project in this weekend’s upcoming DIY Salvaged Junk Projects. Thanks for linking up! 🙂
Joanna says
Bah, ha… this is so exciting! Thanks a bunch, Donna!
Judy Biggerstaff says
Love this post. Such good ideas for using the branches. Hope I can make a go of it.
Joanna says
Hi Judy. Thanks for stopping by. I’m sure you can make something rustic and cute out of branches. Good luck!
Stacey @ Poofing the Pillows says
I am loving these two ideas! I’m going to show these to my husband. Thank you so much for sharing at the garden party. 🙂
Joanna says
My pleasure, Stacey. Thanks for stopping by.
Sarah says
What fun projects!
Joanna says
Thank you!
bj says
This is just darling….such a cute idea!!! I believe I could do this one myself but we don’t have many trees around our place.
Joanna says
Hi Bj, thanks for stopping by. I think you could make a branch ladder too. Maybe take a walk in the woods looking for branches. Wish I could share mine with you, because we have more than enough.
Sandra at Maison De Jardin says
Joanna, Such a creative idea. Love it!
Pam Richardson says
Joanna, I love the ladders…perfectly imperfect! I must get my hubby to build me one, he loves to piddle when he has time! Thanks for sharing at Gardens Galore!
Liz @ Home and Gardening With Liz says
What a brilliant idea! Gosh I have tons of branches around me and could do something like that too! Loved the chair you had- too bad it didn’t last.
Joanna says
Give it a try, Liz, I’m cheering you on. Thanks for stopping by!
Denise says
Darling chair idea. I wonder if I could make an arbor for a clematis vine?
Joanna says
Hi Denise, thanks for stopping by. My bets are on you being able to make an arbor. I’m happy I got your creativity flowing.
Susan says
Your branch ladders are FABULOUS!! I love how I Interesting they are due to the tree branches. The lace vine growing up one is just lovely. And …Hmmm…a brad nailer…(have always wanted a nail gun :). )thanks for the inspiration!
Joanna says
Hi Susan, I’m so happy you were inspired by the tree branch trellis. Be careful with the nail gun. Happy gardening.
Julie says
I love this. I’m going to ask my husband to help me make a chair and ladder. Thanks for the idea.
Joanna says
Julie, thanks so much for stopping by. Good luck with your project.