# Planter/Trellis



## old coasty (Aug 15, 2014)

Every problem has a solution. finding it sometimes takes time. Our problem was the next door neighbors up higher in their back yard, with their seats aimed so they could look down on us, instead of at their back yard, or at their other neighbors on the same level with them.. This was last spring, and we debated the options.

First, tried the plastic planters with cedar trellises I made, but growth rate with flowers was too slow. More debating and searching for solutions.

Then they put up the White Stuff and a toilet bowl planter in the yard.

So the next try was a planter with a trellis, and it worked like a charm. Also we planted Victoria Bushes which will work even better in about 3-4 years.

The planter is a basic cedar box with two 17: square plastic liners one in each side of the box. Cedar 2x4’s, cedar fence slats, and cedar decking was used.

The trellis was made to be taken off if the planter was to be relocated in the future. The 2x4 sides fit over the stiles of the box and 2 stainless lag bolts in each side hold it well.

Slats were made from rough cedar fence slats which determined the height of the grid. Didn’t have a planer, so all were sized on a 4” jointer and ripped to 1 “ wide on the TS.

Finally we get to the router. Made a jig. I’m a firm believer in Mike”s “it doesn’t have to be pretty, it just has to work”. Mine was made from parts from other jigs. It was used to make the pieces for the side rails and stiles to hold the slats in the grid.

I made it based on a box joint jig, but instead of moving the work on the jig, I moved the jig on the work. I routed the first slot with the jig across the stacked pieces that hold the slats in the rails and stiles. The piece on the bottom marked in black is a piece of a slat that was added after the first rout across the stack. From then on, it was put that slat in the last routed slot to do the next one and keep moving on down to the end of the stack.

Obviously the photo ready to route has the clamp upside down, sure couldn't route it like that.

I screwed the two side pieces on the stiles first because there were more of them than the vertical ones, and laid the horizontal slats in place.

Then I screwed the bottom piece in place, inserted the vertical slats in place, and jiggled the top ends to fit in the top piece. Trim pieces were screwed on the rails and stiles to close the open sides of the slats. 

All fasteners were stainless steel and thankfully no finish was desired. Hate finish on outside wood, when time takes it’s toll and refinishing comes along. Cedar and Teak age gracefully on their own.

The top of the grid is 82 inches off the deck, and the top of the dirt in the planters is 20 inches off the deck. I only offer those dimensions so you can see how tall 1 red and 1 yellow grape tomato plant can grow. Today they are over a foot taller than the top of the grid and loaded with tomatoes.

Makes a great privacy fence, so mission accomplished.

Jon, this was not considered a square box by SWMBO with the Grid on it.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

man that is nice.... as in really nice...


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## PaulH (May 30, 2012)

Brilliant job.
You have given me a couple of ideas with that jig of yours.
Cheers Paul


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## gmercer_48083 (Jul 18, 2012)

Bob, Using the Key on your jig was a real time saver. Great Solution!


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## ksidwy (Jul 13, 2013)

Marvelous job and view Bob! I like it a lot!
Sid


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## RÖENTGEEP (Feb 18, 2014)

Just AMAZING ! :wink:


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## Nickp (Dec 4, 2012)

Wow...another set of ideas...so little time...looks great...


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## MT Stringer (Aug 15, 2012)

Stick486 said:


> man that is nice.... as in really nice...


+1 What he said.


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

Good job,great design and good thinking on the jigs, that is sure a way to save some time. Thanks for posting,
Herb


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## Ghidrah (Oct 21, 2008)

OC Bob,

Once I saw the 1st pic I understood the situ, their little canopy swing points directly at your deck. Is the cardinal flag the right height to block the view while sitting in the comfy shaded chairs?

The planter Trellis is a grand object of art; even without the greenery the lattice blocks pretty much everything down to shadows.


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## old coasty (Aug 15, 2014)

Ghidrah said:


> OC Bob,
> 
> Once I saw the 1st pic I understood the situ, their little canopy swing points directly at your deck. Is the cardinal flag the right height to block the view while sitting in the comfy shaded chairs?


Ronald,
The Cardinal flag blocks some of the view. There is a "Request/Order" for another 3/4 size Trellis to go on the house side of the Deck. Don't know where it is in the priority list though.
Bob


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## old coasty (Aug 15, 2014)

Thanks everyone for the good words. Much appreciated. Will try to get some new projects underway to post.

Bob


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## PhilBa (Sep 25, 2014)

Yeah, nice job, Bob. I love working in cedar. It's unforgiving of rough treatment so it forces you to be a better woodworker.

edit: by the way, that is truly obnoxious neighbor behavior. Have you thought about some sort of fast growing hedge? Like english laurel (shudder) or photinia? Maybe 2 years down the road that problem is solved...


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## old coasty (Aug 15, 2014)

PhilBa said:


> Have you thought about some sort of fast growing hedge? Like english laurel (shudder) or photinia? Maybe 2 years down the road that problem is solved...


Phil,

We have planted Victoria Bushes, which grow real fast, about 4 feet a year and is showing great promise. It has a nice blue blossom and is dense. Looks like the solution.

Bob


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## PhilBa (Sep 25, 2014)

I don't know victoria bush - a google search turned up a British actress, pretty sure you didn't plant her... Is it a California Lilac - "Victoria"? That looks pretty good.


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## old coasty (Aug 15, 2014)

Phil,

Here's the tag.


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## PhilBa (Sep 25, 2014)

Yeah, it's a lilac. Your yard will smell great!


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## old coasty (Aug 15, 2014)

Not only smells great, growing like nothing I've ever seen, and looks great also. Never figured it was a lilac, cause I'm a transplanted New Englander where lilacs were completely different. Bees love the blossoms also.


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## old coasty (Aug 15, 2014)

Guess what. They have moved and are going to rent out the place. However most to the "Trash" is still all over the yard except the Swing Set that finally died.


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## Ghidrah (Oct 21, 2008)

Little steps.


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## old55 (Aug 11, 2013)

You can only hope.


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

old coasty said:


> Guess what. They have moved and are going to rent out the place. However most to the "Trash" is still all over the yard except the Swing Set that finally died.


Lets hope the new neighbors are a better bunch,
Herb


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## old coasty (Aug 15, 2014)

Hope is the word of the day.


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