Here's the basic "how to" of what I did and the materials and cost for mine. Keep in mind it's still in progress though and the most important part (stabilizing it and setting it) hasn't been completed yet.

What I did so far....

I pounded a steel stake into the ground then pulled it out to make the holes for six 2 -foot long PVC pipes. I set the PVC pipes in the ground about 18 inches where I thought I wanted the rebar "limbs" to go. That way I could put the limbs in, take them out, try them in different areas, bend them more, etc. I also found an old metal topiary I had and set it into the middle. The topiary had a hollow metal pipe in the middle, but was attached to a flimsy base, so I sawed off the bottom to expose the hollow pipe, then set the stake in the ground and slid the hollow pipe on top of it. Once I decided where I wanted the limbs I tied them to the old metal old topiary. Voila. I still need to set the base of everything in concrete, but I'm waiting on that to make sure I really like where it is and what it looks like.

Here's the cost breakdown..

6 rods of 10 ft rebar (I used 3/8 inch, but you could use thicker 1/2 for about a dollar more) at about $3.65 each = $21.90

1 spool rebar tie wire = $3.73 (lots left over for other projects)

6 precut 2 foot PVC pipes at about $1.50 each = $9.00

1 heavy duty stake at least 4 ft (you could probably also use thick rebar) = about $5

6 decorative rusty tin wire garlands with leaves at $4.79 each = $28.74

6 decorative rusty tin wire picks with leaves at $1.19 each = $7.14

Quikrete or similar fast setting concrete = $4.00

Old metal topiary collecting dust in the garage = free

Total = $79.51 (and about 2-3 hours of time, allow a lot more time if working with metal is new to you!)

You would also need a conduit bender (or rebar bender in this case) if you don't have one already should be about $40. You don't need the heavy duty $100 version.

I had 2 old metal topiaries so I'm making another one just like this if it seems to work.

Also...Those little left over flagstone pieces at the bottom are a possible idea for setting the base of the "limbs" and the "trunk." I was thinking that if I set the limbs/trunk in quick setting concrete, I might just want to create a little raised bed around it with concrete and set the flagstone pieces into it. I don't really have any experience with creating raised beds though, or really working with concrete besides setting things into it (underground so I never really pay any attention to what it looks like). So I'm hesitant. I have a lot of left over flag stone pieces though.... so I'm thinking about it. :)

We are FINALLY getting some rain now so the rebar will turn a nice rusty color over the next couple of days and look even better, matching the rusty tin leaves. It's also a nice test to see how it stands up to gusty winds. So far so good.

Also... here's where I got the rusty tin garlands of leaves and picks of leaves. They have A LOT of choices for garlands and picks and the wire is surprisingly thick gauge for the price. Lots of garden projects could come of these! Factory Direct Craft. Here's a coupon code you could use that came with my order...

I'm so impressed! Can't wait to future pictures. I have no advice, but I did want to tell you that I think it looks great. Good job! Lisa

Thanks Lisa. I'm torn on which roses to use with this though. Sally Holmes would be great... I think.

But a rose that is a once bloomer would be good too since the rebar tree gives it additional interest when it's not blooming. What about Henri Martin (Red Moss)? I have two bands from A Reverance for Roses and they would probably do well arching around the limbs.

I also have two Mini Eden bands from Burlington Roses and that may possibly do well... but I haven't heard from anyone locally or seen a lot on HMF about this rose so it would be taking a chance that it will look good in this application. I don't really know it's growth habit.

I don't know. Maybe I should just pot them all up like I originally thought I was going to do (before I built this tree) and put bamboo stakes in their pots to see how they do for a season and decide if I want them there or not.

I'm so undecided and fickle about what to do with this now that I built it!

My Henri Martin is very graceful and has great hips. It would look beautiful in that rebar support.

Thanks Sheila. I'm really leaning towards Henri Martin so far. And Sally Holmes. I wonder if they can be friends within that tree.

I love this idea! I need some pipes welded, so maybe I'll try to do
something similar when we rent the welder if there's time. Two of them
would look spectacular. You are so ambitious!!!! Being a newbie, I can't
suggest much, but there was as wonderful post about Dawn Crest that really captured my interest. HMF: Dawn Crest

A recent thread: http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/4124180/dawn-crest-by-ralph-moore?n=27

Vaporvac Let me know how the process of renting a welder works! I'm very curious because that may be the best idea to stabilize the middle and top. If you do this... I should tell you that initially I started all the bends in the "branches" 5 to 6 feet from the bottom... knowing that 18 inches to 2 feet would be sunk into the ground.

I didn't do any of the lower bends or "trunk" bends until I had them set up in the PVC pipes to take a look at how they arched and bent, etc. Once I decided where I liked the branches, then I bent the "trunk."

That seemed to really work well. I think if you bend the bottom "trunk" first it could end up being a real hassle to move the branches around while you decide how you would like them to go.

And I can see why Dawn Crest captured your interest. It has captured mine now too!

I think for these trees though, I need something that won't climb quite so high. After being sunk in the ground and with the bends in the "branches" the tree ends up being about 7 feet. I don't want the rose I choose for it to totally take it over.

Henri Martin might... but I think it has a better chance of staying about the same dimensions of the tree.

Sally Holmes will probably end up getting much bigger than the tree if I let her. But she kind of props herself up... she doesn't really need the tree. She basically is a tree. She would just be there more to add to the branching/tree look since she kind of becomes a tree herself. I don't know. Maybe I should plant Sally somewhere else to be her own tree.

I'm so conflicted!

Vaporvac also ... if you rent a welder you could totally forget the topiary in the middle and just bend some rebar circles, welding the branches straight to the circles, with the circles acting like a belt. That's what I originally planned to do but when I found the topiary I figured I would just use that instead. I can't wait to see yours! I hope you do it too. :)

How about weeping or cl. china doll. Burling has both these listed. Thanks for reminding me to ask about your topiaries. I want some like them to grow with ivy. I made my own round ones with two metal hanging basket holders inverted to make a ball, but I so want the double form.

I know the welders come in gas and 220 electric. My job is on my boiler mains. I'll be doing it soon, so I'll report back.

Cori Ann, I saw Sally Holmes looking enormous in your area. I think she would be her own tree. Henri is more rangy and airy and drapes attractively.

Got it. Thanks Sheila. I have a few other spots for Sally where she can get big and become her own tree without putting so much pressure on me to prune her constantly.

Vaporvac I think weeping China Doll is beautiful, but would end up being too heavy over years and bend or break the rebar. I would have to make it much stronger with more interior supports to support it, at least that's my thought. I think any real climbing or weeping rose will end up overpowering the tree I now have. I think arching roses will end up suiting it better. You could totally make one for China Doll though, as long as you used thicker rebar and welded it to more interior supports (those rebar circles I was referring to earlier). It would be gorgeous. Or just buy a tree standard form of weeping China Doll. :) That would be an easier way to go. :)

You are so right!! It is impossible to find a decent trellis at most neighborhood nurseries or Home Depot like places. I needed a few for my various clematis and bought some trellises via the internet made from willow sticks that lasted just one year. I ended up making my own from copper tubing and some steel hoops taken off of a couple of disintegrating half wine barrels. I lashed the pieces together with fine copper wire and it is holding well and looks good. You might want to try lashing your connections with fine copper wire which is soft and easier to work with compared to steel wire. BTW your trellis design looks really nice...

That's a beauty, Cori Ann! Much nicer and more graceful than the one in the Internet photo, IMO. I would love to buy a conduit/rebar bender, but am having a bit of trouble finding one that I can buy locally,since I am unsure of what it's called in Italian (Google translate is unhelpful; it won't translateb "bender",for example). I THINK what you're talking about might be a "piegaferro". I found these ones on Amazon: https://www.amazon.it/Ausonia-piegaferro-verniciato-segnamisure-regolabile/dp/B00XVSFNXM/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1477486669&sr=8-8&keywords=piegaferri https://www.amazon.it/dp/B00HWRLCOW/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_1?pf_rd_p=556244387&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B00FBEFDWU&pf_rd_m=A11IL2PNWYJU7H&pf_rd_r=4RRGSNGBQEBTEGDQNKCB  Now, I won't be surprised if you prefer to not have to look those long addresses up! Could you post a picture of the one that you used? This might help me...

Wow! That's beautiful!

Bart this is what I used...

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Ideal-1-2-in-EMT-Aluminum-Bender-Head-and-Handle-74-046/100341459?cm_mmc=Shopping%7cTHD%7cG%7c0%7cG-BASE-PLA-D27E-Electrical%7c&gclid=Cj0KEQjwqMHABRDVl6_hqKGDyNIBEiQAN-O9hLd7qK_PllT3o-LKmCwUsYDojFl0pKTopZV3E1ZQS2UaAimO8P8HAQ&gclsrc=aw.ds

There's some videos at that link that show you how to use it too. If you talk to anyone that is in construction they can probably help you figure out where to buy one and how to use it. I would think even in different countries it's a pretty standard tool since it's so low tech.

So... I found this thread on gardenweb from a few years ago. http://forums2.gardenweb.com/discussions/1593866/how-easy-it-is-to-work-for-with-rebar

It's Don Juan in a rebar trellis with similar structure to the tree I made. It looks pretty awesome. Don Juan is reliable, really disease resistant and easy to come by here. Plus it smells lovely and offers nice cut flowers. I'm still thinking Henri Martin (Red Moss), but also Don Juan in the rebar tree to fill in the times when Henri Martin isn't blooming. Don Juan can get BIG here... but I have had him before and he was pretty easy to keep smaller and prune because I was always cutting bouquet roses from him anyways. I like different shades of red together... so I think it will look lovely when they are both blooming. Decision made! I still wonder how Mini Eden would look in the mix too... but I am going to pot her up and watch her to see what she's all about first.

Now I just have to decide how to set it and make it more stable. Hmmmm. Something to contemplate on my lunch break today. :)

:)

Ignore the pots in front. They're just temporary housing for a bunch of new roses.

Don Juan in the front of the tree. Henri Martin in the back.

Rebar is tied with wire. Stabilized at the base in quik concrete (still in the pvc pipes). Flagstone pieces are just haphazardly set around to create a little raised bed area.

I am really liking this!!!

To do this right, I should have probabaly welded instead of tied and mortared the flagstone instead of just setting it there and burying the base, but I'm happy with it for today. :)

Neat idea on the umbrella trellis. With our rainy and humid climate along with salt ocean air added in, none of the flimsy metal trellises last very long. Even treated wood seems to fall apart over time here. I recently watched a video on how to bend the thicker pvc pipe. They heated up sand in a pan in the oven, then put it into the pvc pipe and then it bent very easily. Ive been thinking of making some arbors from pvc. There is even a way to 'stain' it to look like bamboo.

I like rebar here too, it lasts longer.

Very nice! I have had some success making a tree type trellis with 1/2" metal conduit and fence posts. I bent the conduit by taping the ends, packing in sand, and using boards and my well head to create the curves. I will post some pics over the weekend.

Lol... I don't recommend using your head as a mold to bend rebar around... hopefully you didn't hurt yourself!

The easiest way is putting one end in a truck tow hitch and bend. :-)

Not a bad idea! I still think the actual conduit bender is the way to go though. But that's only because I can get a little particular about the angle of the bend and the conduit bender measures that.

Thank you so much for the photo of the conduit bender, Cori Ann. Now I can ask my DH to copy it on his phone, and we can show it to the hardware store people and ask them to find one for me! Felicity, I'd love to see your pictures...

The well head ;>

Ohhhh! A well head!!! Not your head! Now I feel so silly. What a great idea! That is going to look so amazing when the roses grows up, around and through it! Is that a cute little boxwood in the center?

I really like the smooth arches. It is going to look very graceful. What are the conduit pipes braced into at the base? Another larger pipe pounded into the ground? Such a great idea!

It is a boxwood in the center. The conduit is braced into metal chain-link fence posts that are pounded into the ground with a "post pounder". I need to add some fine gravel or sand in to stabilize the conduits.

This was helpful: https://youtu.be/k2Zzg3GxPNY

So was this: http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-bend-pipe-without-a-pipe-bender/

Here's what we did: took a photograph of the metal tutors at Bagatelle down to a Tijuana welding shop. Not quite Tijuana, as the storefront with samples is in a U.S. border town, but we knew where the pieces would be fabricated. What we got back in two weeks is taller than we asked for, beautifully made and just plain beautiful. The six towers have lasted for about twenty years now. The price was good, quite affordable.

Dara that's probabaly the best idea so far. I get bragging rights for making it myself, but in all honestly I think would have been perfectly happy paying someone else to make it! I have sh*t to do!

I finally finished my two rebar trees. I have to say.... I'm pretty darn proud of them!

Don Juan winding around from the front and Henri Martin winding around from the back on both. Henri Martin is just a band, but he seems happy and is already leafing out and growing.

This was a project that gave great satisfaction and sense of accomplishment. If working with metal is new to you... I highly recommend it! It's a great project for beginners. Very rewarding. :)