Gabions (coming from the Italian, 'Gabionne' meaning 'metal cage') are special dry stone walls held in place by metal, mesh cages usually made of galvanised steel. These stone filled cages can then be used as oversized 'building blocks' as an inexpensive method of building high walls eg. embankment construction on motorways.
The latticing of gabions makes them an instantly compatible surface for most climbers, depending on the growing plant type however, you can expect corrosion of the wire mesh to increase approximately three fold, mostly due to consistent rainfall. High humidity and lack of wind do the rest to slow down drying after rain. Generally speaking, rust is not formed until after thirty years but under the vegetation it only takes ten years, therefore as a precaution stainless steel wire gabions should be used.
Wire rope trellises can be secured both on the face and top of gabion baskets, directly to the mesh. To prevent galvanic action the wire baskets should ideally be made out of stainless steel, if this is not possible, direct contact of both metals (galvanised and stainless steel) should be prevented. The wire rope should be passed through UV-resistant hose or wrapped in a UV-resistant bandage, to prevent contact.
In exceptional cases, wire rope trellises can be fastened directly to the gabion stone i.e. if your trellis must be fastened a certain distance away from the wall for preventive mildew protection. Plants like Real Vine, Roses, and Clematis hybrids will benefit from reduced heat stress in direct sunlight and develop a higher resistance to fungal diseases. If you decide to use this method cement several stones by squeezing composite mortar into the joints to form a larger, more stable stone block. Our light and medium kits can then be mounted. Hammer drills, universal drills, and percussion drills are equally suitable.