Dear LPG, 

No matter how deep into the winter we get and how much that feeling of gloominess gets to us, the gardeners of the world are most likely to be among the least affected.  I am not the most industrious enthusiast but over the years I think that I have developed a new respect for the little plot of land that is part of the property that I bought.

I think that, perhaps I have had more time over the past year or so to connect and, perhaps because it was one of the few outdoor spaces available to me, I have learnt to treat it in the same way as the inside of my domain and tidying it up has become more important.

Having more time to see things somehow makes you more aware of what needs to be sorted and I have decided that my fence has seen better days.  I have also learnt just how expensive a new fence can be, but there are choices although budget is always a consideration I suppose.

The first is the question of what exactly you want to keep out.  At my age not that much really, and no matter how many new lockdowns are needed, I am never going to see myself as a sun seeker who spends the height of the summer trying to sunbathe with not a lot on, so a wooden fence is not vital.  Having a high one or a brick one gives a certain degree of security but there is also the message to your neighbours about how much you really want to be separated from them.   I thought a white one would look good but then wondered how long it would be before the white looked grubby and anything wooden was going to need to be painted and painted on both sides which means I have to bother my neighbour for access to the side you don’t see that often, and I wondered how long I would be able to keep that up. I always think that wire fences belong around factories and farms.  They look as if they might be ready to deliver an electric shock to persuade you to stay out and I would never be able to afford wrought iron.  I thought that bricks might be a way forward, or perhaps a mixture of wood and concrete, but then I remembered another alternative that we perhaps don’t think of as readily.  I found some information about how a patient new garden fence owner can potentially have privacy and do a little something for the planet into the bargain. 

I am not saying that there is no maintenance needed, I think that all perimeter protection is a bit of a chore, but a living fence might be a way of giving the atmosphere a bit of a helping hand.   An investment in hedge clippers rather than yearly layers of creosote can’t be a bad thing although I would go for electric ones.  

I thought it worth sharing…

KR, Grove Park. 

KR found some ideas…

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