#arbours

Hannah gets growing on some simple, relocatable growing structures, using concrete reinforcing mesh - known as reo. This steel product can be joined, bent, cut or attached for all kinds of situations and uses.

It comes in a range of sizes and thicknesses but, if cutting, you need some personal protection equipment such as safety glasses, gloves and ear muffs.

To create an arch you need a solid base - Hannah uses star pickets hammered in deeply, placing one in each corner of her new arbour. Because she’s working between terraces, she puts the upper pickets in at an angle to provide more support for her structure.

Hannah uses a thicker mesh with a 9mm bar for stability; the length will depend on how high you want your arch. Hannah recommends a minimum height of 180cm for an arbour; because her family is tall she will go higher - to 2.4m.

For heavy-duty reo it can be hard to bend sheets on your own so get a friend to help.

Secure the mesh to the star pickets with wire; Hannah cuts pieces about 40cm long.

The finished arches are very functional and can support grapes, beans, peas, heavy pumpkins or ornamental climbers such as a climbing rose.

Hannah plants a mixture of deciduous grapes and evergreen native climbers.