Your gardens are very attractive!! In the Ikea ad there is always a place saying what the item is made of. I'm curious about that, because lightweight material may not hold up to a Texas summer.

I imagine these would work, but wow, it ends up being a rather expensive trellis for just a few cuke plants. I would also be a bit concerned about durability. They are recommended for outdoor use and made of ...

Main parts: Solid acacia wood, Acrylic stain
Hook: Steel, Galvanized

Looks like they would pretty seriously shade the foliage. Wire or cordage netting is a better way to go. You've got a big fence on one side that may contribute to that shading.

That they block a lot of sun would be my reason for not using them or anything similar.

I don't think they'll block much sun since these planters sit on almost east/west. They get full afternoon sunlight and the trellis will be on the fence side. My main concern is will the plants climb it.

Just from a function-as-a-trellis point of view... If the plant grows through the slats it's going to be shaded on the back side. If weaves up through the season, that's half the plant growing in shade. You could maybe train it as it goes, and instead of letting the plant grow through, tie it... but that's going to take diligence. In short... sure it will work - and look nice - but I think you will be paying for the aesthetics with time and effort. Therefore... if it's worth it to you... go for it.

You could get a similarly colored, or an invisible twine, and make a net that sits 2" - 4" off of the front. It would give the distant appearance you are looking for, and you'll have a 'proper' trellis.

rgreen - I see what you mean. My last trellisses were more open "rope" trellisses that leaned against a fence. I guess they just naturally gravitated towards the sunny side up direction with few leaves in the underside of the trellis. I'm going to give it a try - since these are more decorative than my other setup. My side garden where these are located is directly viewable from the street. I'll keep you posted once they're up and climbing. If it doesn't work - these will become A frames maybe for next year.

I don't understand how these wouldn't block a lot of sun. If the afternoon sun is shining on them, the you'll have to coax the cukes to keep their foliage on the sunlit side of it. Sure, they'll climb it, but they'll want to climb through it and around it. The foliage on one side will get afternoon sun. The foliage on the other side will get rather little.