Constructing a Garden Tuteur

By Bubbles
November 28, 2015

Garden tuteurs, or obelisks, give your garden upright forms to train vines and other climbing plants. They also add interest to an area by lifting the eye upward. Tuteurs can be as plain, or as ornate, as you wish them to be. As simple as a few bamboo canes lashed together, or as elaborate as a tall metal structure fused into a rather fussy design, these pyramid shaped frames have been part of gardens for hundreds of years.

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Nov 22, 2013 10:09 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: greene
Savannah, GA (Sunset 28) (Zone 8b)
I have no use for internet bullies!
Avid Green Pages Reviewer Keeper of Poultry Vegetable Grower Rabbit Keeper Frugal Gardener Garden Ideas: Master Level
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Thumbs up A wood working project that is beautiful, useful, and I already have all the tools needed.
This will be added to my short to-do list.
Thanks, well written, great photos.
Sunset Zone 28, AHS Heat Zone 9, USDA zone 8b~"Leaf of Faith"
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Nov 23, 2013 8:36 AM CST
Name: Sandi
Austin, Tx (Zone 8b)
Texas Gardening
Forum moderator Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Garden Ideas: Master Level Plant Identifier Master Gardener: Texas
Region: Texas Tropicals Plumerias Ferns Greenhouse Garden Art
I'm so glad you will try one! I have to confess that my husband cut these, but I took the photos and help with the construction. It was after they were assembled that I figured out I needed to paint them before screwing them together!
It should be a good winter project. When spring comes, you'll be all set!
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Nov 23, 2013 9:09 AM CST
Name: Horseshoe Griffin
Efland, NC (Zone 7a)
And in the end...a happy beginning!
I helped beta test the Garden Planting Calendar Charter ATP Member Garden Sages Hosted a Not-A-Raffle-Raffle I sent a postcard to Randy! I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database!
For our friend, Shoe. Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Enjoys or suffers cold winters Birds Permaculture Container Gardener
Fantastic tutorial on your tuteurs, you tutor you!

Very nice step-by-step making it look easy, and fairly fast as well! I like the top pieces also (finials?) and can easily see putting something else on top.

Thanks, Bubbles/Sandi!

Shoe
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Nov 23, 2013 9:21 AM CST
Name: Sandi
Austin, Tx (Zone 8b)
Texas Gardening
Forum moderator Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Garden Ideas: Master Level Plant Identifier Master Gardener: Texas
Region: Texas Tropicals Plumerias Ferns Greenhouse Garden Art
I'm still laughing at your comments! Thanks, Shoe. And yes, you can change the look of the tuteurs by changing the finials. With solar lights on top, you could vector in flying saucers at night! Rolling my eyes.
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Nov 23, 2013 9:32 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: greene
Savannah, GA (Sunset 28) (Zone 8b)
I have no use for internet bullies!
Avid Green Pages Reviewer Keeper of Poultry Vegetable Grower Rabbit Keeper Frugal Gardener Garden Ideas: Master Level
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Good news (for me, anyway).
My neighbor felt the need to rip some pressure treated lumber down to size. Why is this good news? Because the bits he discarded are approximately 2" x 2" x 8' and there are a bunch of them. My tutuers will be more rustic as the wood is rather 'un-smooth'. I think I will stain rather than paint.

And solar lights are the bomb! Thanks @Bubbles and @Horseshoe.
Sunset Zone 28, AHS Heat Zone 9, USDA zone 8b~"Leaf of Faith"
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Nov 23, 2013 9:37 AM CST
Name: Sandi
Austin, Tx (Zone 8b)
Texas Gardening
Forum moderator Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Garden Ideas: Master Level Plant Identifier Master Gardener: Texas
Region: Texas Tropicals Plumerias Ferns Greenhouse Garden Art
You are so lucky! Now that's a good neighbor! Be sure to share photos when you get them finished.
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Nov 23, 2013 10:04 AM CST
Name: Horseshoe Griffin
Efland, NC (Zone 7a)
And in the end...a happy beginning!
I helped beta test the Garden Planting Calendar Charter ATP Member Garden Sages Hosted a Not-A-Raffle-Raffle I sent a postcard to Randy! I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database!
For our friend, Shoe. Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Enjoys or suffers cold winters Birds Permaculture Container Gardener
Wow...congrats on your free lumber, Greene. Guess you'll be showing off your tuteurs soon.

Love the idea of solar lights on top! Besides, I haven't seen a flying saucer around here in years! Whistling
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Nov 23, 2013 11:39 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: greene
Savannah, GA (Sunset 28) (Zone 8b)
I have no use for internet bullies!
Avid Green Pages Reviewer Keeper of Poultry Vegetable Grower Rabbit Keeper Frugal Gardener Garden Ideas: Master Level
Plant Identifier Region: Georgia Native Plants and Wildflowers Composter Garden Sages Bookworm
Free is good. Walking the dog puts me right there on the road side to find the good stuff - especially around midnight. Some stuff I use, other stuff I clean up and donate either on FreeCycle or to the Goodwill/Salvation Army, etc. The local trash collectors work hard enough; I like to save them some work if I can.

@Horseshoe Don't get me started. Myself, (late) husband and children, and half of the people in 3 towns saw one once. Now don't get me wrong, I am not saying it was from 'out there', but we saw it fly and it was unidentified. To this day no one will come forward to say what it was that we all saw.

I owe you all some photos of the 6 new raised beds first; after that I'll work on the Tuteurs.
Sunset Zone 28, AHS Heat Zone 9, USDA zone 8b~"Leaf of Faith"
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Nov 23, 2013 1:04 PM CST
Name: Horseshoe Griffin
Efland, NC (Zone 7a)
And in the end...a happy beginning!
I helped beta test the Garden Planting Calendar Charter ATP Member Garden Sages Hosted a Not-A-Raffle-Raffle I sent a postcard to Randy! I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database!
For our friend, Shoe. Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Enjoys or suffers cold winters Birds Permaculture Container Gardener
Oh I believe ya, Greene. UFO's and the beings "not from around here" have popped up in my life from time to time! No worries though.

Looking forward to your raised bed pics, and the tuteurs.
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Nov 27, 2015 7:56 PM CST
Name: Betty
MN zone 4b
Frogs and Toads Birds Hummingbirder Irises Lilies Peonies
Roses Garden Ideas: Level 1 Region: United States of America Hostas Garden Art Echinacea
Sandy, I love the bright colors you painted yours. My husband made me one that looks exactly like you bright blue one, it is made of pressure treated lumber which I let age naturally unpainted to the soft grey it is today.
If you want to be happy for a lifetime plant a garden!
Faith is the postage stamp on our prayers!
Betty MN Zone4 AHS member

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Nov 27, 2015 8:24 PM CST
Name: Sandi
Austin, Tx (Zone 8b)
Texas Gardening
Forum moderator Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Garden Ideas: Master Level Plant Identifier Master Gardener: Texas
Region: Texas Tropicals Plumerias Ferns Greenhouse Garden Art
Thanks, Betty! I have a couple of smaller ones that I let age. I like the greyed color, but my daughter did also. She now has them in her backyard! In summer, you can barely see the colored ones for all the vining. I think the blue one was from a plan in Birds and Blooms (?). Once DH built that one, he decided to make his own plan. The new ones went together easier. Even I could put it together. Just not any of the sawing! Whistling
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Nov 28, 2015 7:43 AM CST
Name: Treehugger
Hanover Twp, PA (Zone 6a)
Region: United States of America Region: Northeast US Region: Pennsylvania Native Plants and Wildflowers Miniature Gardening Herbs
Enjoys or suffers cold winters Bee Lover Hostas Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Frogs and Toads Hummingbirder
It's looks so easy! When can you visit to make mine Sticking tongue out
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Nov 28, 2015 8:23 AM CST
Name: Sandi
Austin, Tx (Zone 8b)
Texas Gardening
Forum moderator Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Garden Ideas: Master Level Plant Identifier Master Gardener: Texas
Region: Texas Tropicals Plumerias Ferns Greenhouse Garden Art
Hmmm...let me think about it. Whistling
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Nov 28, 2015 8:44 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: greene
Savannah, GA (Sunset 28) (Zone 8b)
I have no use for internet bullies!
Avid Green Pages Reviewer Keeper of Poultry Vegetable Grower Rabbit Keeper Frugal Gardener Garden Ideas: Master Level
Plant Identifier Region: Georgia Native Plants and Wildflowers Composter Garden Sages Bookworm
Rolling on the floor laughing Rolling on the floor laughing
Sunset Zone 28, AHS Heat Zone 9, USDA zone 8b~"Leaf of Faith"
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Nov 30, 2015 3:11 PM CST
Name: Sandi
Austin, Tx (Zone 8b)
Texas Gardening
Forum moderator Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Garden Ideas: Master Level Plant Identifier Master Gardener: Texas
Region: Texas Tropicals Plumerias Ferns Greenhouse Garden Art
@daylilydreams I found a photo of the "aged tutuer!"
Thumb of 2015-11-30/Bubbles/511672
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Nov 30, 2015 4:40 PM CST
Name: Betty
MN zone 4b
Frogs and Toads Birds Hummingbirder Irises Lilies Peonies
Roses Garden Ideas: Level 1 Region: United States of America Hostas Garden Art Echinacea
@Bubbles, that is like mine exactly, when you mentioned Birds and Blooms that may be where we got the plans at the time as I used to subscribe to the magazine all the time. We only have the one and it is still in use after many years, the only thing different is the finial.
If you want to be happy for a lifetime plant a garden!
Faith is the postage stamp on our prayers!
Betty MN Zone4 AHS member

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Nov 30, 2015 4:54 PM CST
Name: Sandi
Austin, Tx (Zone 8b)
Texas Gardening
Forum moderator Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Garden Ideas: Master Level Plant Identifier Master Gardener: Texas
Region: Texas Tropicals Plumerias Ferns Greenhouse Garden Art
I'm pretty sure this one is the blue/green one in the garden. I started thinking about the first one, and asked DH where it was. He told me I probably painted it like everything else in the yard! Whistling
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