Daily Dose Blogger Bios
Good Fences ...
Fences are hard - you don't to be precious about them or they cease being background elements, but it just isn't our thing to give in and make due with the ubiquitous dog-ear redwood fence, right? Also - have you noticed how expensive wood is lately? I love materials, but I'm a woman obsessed... I want to spend the bulk of my landscape design dollars on the plants! I had alot of yard to fence in, so I tried to come up with a design that would use the least wood possible. The inspiration was a fence that Judy from Elysian Landscapes (the lucky woman who employs me) came up with using cheap bamboo fencing and 1x6 planks of wood, but my friend Mark and I polished up the design and I think he really took it to the next level on the construction. We decided to surround each bamboo panel in a frame and then we (well - he, really) capped the fence (he didn't shoot the fence, he put a finishing piece of wood on top of the fence), and the result is a pretty slick looking fence with an eastern flair that cost half as much as a solid wood fence of the same length and height.
Mark finished the fence about six months or so ago, and I started planting tough Australian plants in my new garden area (this is a side yard in back of the garage) and I put in a red passionflower on the fence - which shows that even though I'm madly in love with my fence, plants will always come first with me!
That is a great looking fence. The fence at my house is chainlink (argh!) with minty green metal slats running through it(hideous). I'm inspired. Do you have any other photos? How secure is it at the bottom?
I'm glad you like the fence, merry - and it truly is a snap to build - well, for people who know how to build things. I think one of the keys to the look is that the bamboo fencing is used on it's side - so that if you are using fencing that is 6' high, your panels will be 6' wide. Using the bamboo horizontally is snappier, I think. It is a very sturdy fence, but light at the same time. Breezes blow through it. I'll see if I have a picture of it newly finished - if I do, I'll post it.