Obelisk for the garden—see Thomas’s instructions for crafting a stylish and sturdy climbing support
Wooden obelisk-style climbing supports, like those seen in British gardens, can be hard to find in Finland. But luckily, you can build one yourself! Thomas O’Rourke has made several supports for his and his wife Merja’s garden in Oulu—now he shares his tips for constructing an obelisk.
Obelisk—materials and dimensions
Vertical posts: 3 x 3 cm strips, 4 pieces of 180 cm each
Horizontal strips: 3 x 1 cm strips. These attach at four levels, each with four strips in two different lengths (top level: 2 x 22 cm and 2 x 24 cm, next levels: 28 and 30 cm, 36 and 38 cm, and the bottom level: 42 and 44 cm)
Additionally: a post cap, screws, and a wood treatment product
Obelisk—instructions for building
1. Cut the vertical posts and mark where the horizontal strips will go. Place the top strips 50 cm from the top, and space the next strips 26 cm apart.
2. Cut the horizontal strips, two of each length.
3. Attach the shorter horizontal strips into two triangles (on opposite sides), starting with the upper and lower strips. You can do this on a table or on the floor.
4. Lift the triangles upright and screw the longer horizontal strips in place. Align the joints.
5. Attach the post cap. The one shown in the photo was brought from the US, but in Finland you can find metal post caps. If you prefer wood, you could craft one yourself from a croquet ball and different moldings.
6. Paint the support with paint meant for outdoor furniture or treat the wood with oil.
7. If you wish, you can attach about 40 cm rebar spikes to the posts to anchor the support in the ground.
Also see the article about Merja and Thomas’s garden: Merja got the gardening bug in the United States and brought the lush American style to the yard of an old villa in Oulu
