A new fence

I posted these first two images in the summer of 2020 when I was writing about garden reality versus the pictures we post on FB, Instagram and our blogs. 

This was the state of our Arborvitae hedge along the west property line after almost 20 years. It was being shaded out by trees we planted and damaged by snowfalls and snow piles from our neighbor's parking spot. 

In December of 2020, we had a big snowstorm which brought down one of the trunks of the neighbor's Arborvitae tree (rear of the scene) and almost flattened our hedge on the right. This year we kissed the hedge goodbye and Mark took it out. 

Mark checked with the neighbors and the city and located the lot line. Then we decided on the kind of fence we wanted to put in, in place of the hedge. It's cedar, board-on-board, meaning the front and back sides are the same. The boards are the same width as the ones on the neighbor's fence, so ours will complement theirs (below). Ours will also fade to the same subtle gray color. 

We used a company called Amerifence. The gentleman who came out to talk to us and give us the estimate and the team who put in the fence were all pleasant and professional. On Tuesday of this week they put in the metal support posts. 

They came back the next day to attach the boards. 

We get along well with these neighbors and have a gate into their garden in the fence that separates our properties farther down this side of the garden. They knew we wanted to hide their white vehicles, so they were fine with the type and height of fence we put in. 

There's so much greenery on both sides that the fence will be much less noticeable in the growing season. 

The crew was very respectful of the plantings and followed the gravel path through the front garden; which meant walking along meandering curves to avoid dormant plants and a lot of "fern crowns."

Even thought the fence was just a long straight line, I was amazed to watch it all come together so quickly. 

Look at the way those River Birch trunks show up against it.

It's such an attractive backdrop, I think I will plant more big ferns in front of it. 

It really changes the view of the front garden as you come down our street. Mark thinks the fence will become the landmark people look for when they come to our house in the future. I think he's correct for now. But I'm guessing it will be barely noticed once the garden is green again. 

Comments

[Kristin]

It looks great! I usually look for the island! Isn't it nice when you get a crew who really listens and is careful of your plants?

[Barbara H.]

It looks good! And when it silvers with age it will blend in with the tree trunks, I think. Do you need to put anything on it for protection?

[Linda Brazill]

KRISTIN — I usually tell people the island, too, because the driveway turning is right there.

[Linda Brazill]

BARBARA — I think you can treat it if you want it to stay this color. But we definitely want it to weather. 

[Kris P]

It looks great, Linda. It's nice you have cooperative neighbors.

[Beth@PlantPostings]

Very nice! We don't have fencing, but our neighbors do. It seems to work well with the plants and trees and formats of our gardens. Yours looks great now, and as you say, it will weather nicely.

[danger garden]

Hide those vehicles! It's good that you have a friendly relationship with the neighbors though. And I don't know about you, but I'm always impatient waiting for wood to age.

[Linda Brazill]

DANGER — I am definitely going to be impatient waiting for that wood to tone down.

[Frank]

It looks nice, and I think anyone would agree those vehicles need to be screened!
I love the mix of browns around the house and along the driveway. Until the snow crushes it all down it's a very nice palette!

[Linda Brazill]

FRANK — ​The plants providing that color are Epimediums, Hakonechloa grass and a Korean maple which keeps its leaves. They turn fire-engine red and then slowly turn all sorts of shades of warm browns and rust.

[ceci]

Our very nice next door neighbors put up a similar fence around their back garden; I am delighted as it screens my trash cans (which are really in the only possible place) from their screened porch, so I don't need to feel bad about it anymore. Sadly the people on the other side were insulted for reasons I don't understand and have been grumbling around about it.

Anyway, your new fence looks great, and should provide a measure of privacy and security for your neighbors as well as for you.

ceci

[Linda Brazill]

CECI — Enclosing gardens/yards seems more common in the UK ;but here people are hooked on the look of those open yards. I like the enclosure and we have been lucky to have neighbors who are fine with genes.