Make a Feature of Your Fencing
Garden fencing. We all need to have it, to keep kids and pets in, strangers and wild animals out; to show where one yard ends and another one starts. But have you ever wondered whether your fencing could be doing more for you?
Why not make it into a feature that enhances your enjoyment of your outdoor space? Take a look at the ideas below for inspiration.
A splash of colour
When the time comes round to treat your fence, as it does every year, think beyond the traditional shades of green and brown. Your local hardware store or garden centre will stock a wide range of colours, from blue to red to yellow and everything in between. Just as the walls inside your house are painted to show off your furnishings to their best effect, choose a colour for your fencing that will turn it into a complementary backdrop for your yard.
If you've got lush planting that only allows the odd glimpse of fence panel, then you can make the most of it with a bold colour. This works particularly well when the plants themselves have a limited palette. A more subtle shade may work better if you've already got flowers in all shades of the rainbow, or if there's a lot of fence on show and you don't want to find yourself overwhelmed by the colour. If your yard's main function is as a kids' play space, getting imaginative with stripes or a simple mural could make it even more fun.
An illusion of space
How many times have you heard the advice about using mirrors to make small, dark rooms look larger? Well, the same trick works on small, enclosed gardens. Hang mirrors on your fencing to make your garden seem twice the size.
There are a few things to bear in mind if you're considering installing a garden mirror:
- Don't place mirrors in full sun as this can be a fire risk
- Position the mirror so that it reflects planting or open space for the best effect
- Use planting to help the mirror blend in, especially to disguise its edges
- You can use an internal mirror, but make sure the frame is weather-proof and consider applying some extra sealant to the edges
- Place mirrors where they will be safe from ball games, small children or enthusiastic pets
A vertical garden
Using your fencing to increase the available space for planting can not only make your garden more attractive, but help reduce noise from nearby roads or neighbours, give you greater privacy or even produce home-grown fruit and vegetables.
The most obvious way of persuading plants to grow over your fencing is by fixing trellis to it and planting climbers or ramblers at the base. You can do this even if you have paving or concrete running alongside your fence, by planting in containers. A more unusual alternative, which increases the choice of plants you can use, is to let them grow down the fence. By fixing plastic or wooden pots to the fencing and planting them with trailing plants, you get the effect of a living, green waterfall. Fix the pots directly above each other for ease of maintenance; you can then water the top pot and let it drip through to those below.
Whether you're renovating an existing fence or getting a replacement for one that is past its best, remember that with a little imagination your fencing could become one of your garden's best features. For more information, check out companies such as Kematmel Pty Ltd.