How to Build a Garden Archway With Branches

An archway built with branches creates a rustic garden structure.

Useful garden structures add interest and beauty to the landscape. Arbors and archways make covered frames for gates and supports for climbing flowers. A rustic garden archway made from sapling trees and branches creates a natural look in any yard or garden. With a few simple hand tools and materials, you can build an interesting, attractive archway for a special occasion or to highlight the entrance to a garden.

Things You'll Need

• Hammer and galvanized nails
• Small ax or hatchet
• Hand saw
• Branch clippers
• Six 6-foot posts from sapling trees
• One 8-foot post from sapling tree
• Six 5-foot branches with twigs

Instructions

1. Cut down six sapling trees that are at least 6 feet tall and one 8-foot sapling, or use fallen dead wood in good condition. Select trees with trunks that are at least 6 inches in diameter.

2. Clip six large branches with twigs. Choose branches that are at least 5 feet long.

3. Cut two of the 6-foot posts into four cross-sections that are 3 feet long.

4. Assemble the posts and 3-foot cross-sections into side frames for the archway. To create one side frame, lay two posts on the ground or on a large flat surface, parallel to each other, 2 1/2 feet apart. Place two of the cross-sections on top of the poles, one 6 inches from the top, and one 12 inches from the bottom. Nail the cross-sections into place.

5. Cut the 8-foot post in half. Stand the side frames up on the long sides, parallel to each other, 4 feet apart, and nail each 4-foot post section across the top of the side frames, front and back.

6. With the assembled frame still on the ground, nail one of the branches with twigs to the top left front side of the archway. Nail another one to the right front side. Turn the archway over carefully and do the same on the back side.

7. Stand the archway up, and nail the last two branches to each of the sides.

Tips & Warnings

• Use rope to tie the branches to the tops and sides of the archway instead of nailing them together to create some interest.

• Add grapevines to the archway sides instead of branches, and let them dry naturally on the frame.

• Make a larger archway using thicker sapling trees and larger branches.

• Use thinner, green, flexible branches stripped of twigs to shape into designs such as hearts or circles to nail to the sides of the frames instead of twiggy branches.

References

• Rustic Garden Projects; Dawn King
• Garden Retreats: A Build-It-Yourself Guide; David Stiles and Jeanie Stiles
• Making Bentwood Trellises, Arbors, Gates & Fences; Jim Long