Ted and Barbara LeMaire, residents of a peaceful and scenic area just north of San Francisco, are looking for an architectural element that will afford them more privacy and better define their property. They also want to enhance their yard with new plants to give it more visual impact. To accomplish these goals, landscape designer Johan Kahlstrom creates a plan for the property that features a rounded "moon gate" to serve as a portal leading into the yard, along with a unique planting plan that features an interesting mix of plant material, from succulents to woodland varieties.(Kahlstrom explains that while a square gate would be purely functional, a round design is more enchanting; the gate will also be angled for an inviting feel.) Stone islands will be added to the landscape to create natural focal points. As the project gets underway, the crew has already replaced the LeMaires' old fence with a beautiful new redwood version and rebuilt the former pathway to approach the house at a softer angle. Kahlstrom estimates that a professional installation of this project would cost around $3,000, while the do-it-yourselfer can expect to spend about $1,600 (neither estimate includes the cost of plants). He also notes that the project would take the average homeowner about three weekends to complete. On a difficulty scale of 1 to 5, with "5" being the hardest, Kahlstrom rates this project a "4" due to the labor-intensive movement of rock and the precise cutting involved in building the gate itself.
Step One: Making the Templates
Master carpenter Theodore Herzberg begins the project by creating a plywood template for the arched gateway. To create the template, he uses trammel points to fashion a compass from two boards, which can adjust to any angle. He explains that the assembly of the moon gate will require a variety of tools, including a miter box, circular saw and router, all of which can be rented for about $20 per day. Herzberg will also use a jigsaw, a planer and a framing nailer, each of which can be rented for a daily fee (approximately $12, $40 and $32, respectively).
To take the guesswork out of the precision cutting required, Theodore first creates a template for the arc. He uses the trammel points to first scribe the outer edge; then resets them six inches shorter to mark the inside of the curve (the arc measures nine feet in diameter), cuts out a section nine feet in diameter using the circular saw. Since the top portion of the arc won't fit on the sheet of plywood, Herzberg cuts out the lower portion first, then cuts out the missing top portion on the leftover scraps of wood to fill in the top of the curve.
Finally, Herzberg cuts out the arch with the circular saw then bolts all pieces together to create a semi-doughnut shape.
Step Two: Building the Arch
To build the arch, the rectangular pieces of lumber must be cut off at an angle to ensure that all pieces fit together perfectly. First, he lays the lumber on top of the arc template, then marks the points where the arc and the boards intersect. Then, he draws the radius of the circle through these points. When the boards are cut along these angles, they will fit together perfectly to form the arch.
After cutting the angles, Herzberg planes the wood with the electric planer so that all the boards will be exactly the same width. Then, he lays the boards out so that all cut angles of the ends are aligned, forming a bottomless hexagon frame. Then, he glues the pieces together with polyurethane glue and reinforces the joints with screws driven in at an angle.
After the glue dries, Herzberg lays the template on top of the lumber frame, traces its outline and uses the jigsaw to cut out the shape of the arch. (Before starting to cut, Herzberg uses scraps of wood to elevate the frame, making the cutting process easier.)
To build up the thickness of the moon gate, Herzberg adds two more layers of redwood to the arch, all cut with the original template. As he adds each layer of lumber, he covers the joints of the first layer with the boards of the next and glues and nails them for a tight hold. Then, he cuts the curved edges to shape using the router .
To set up the archway, Herzberg recommends setting the arch on a few pieces of flagstone to prevent the ends from having contact with damp soil. Once the arch is positioned in place over the opening in the redwood fence, Herzberg secures it to the fence with screws, with several pieces of wood placed behind it to compensate for the overhang on the top of the fence and keep the gateway frame straight.
Step Three: Creating Stone Islands and Adding Plants
The stone islands featured in the landscape plan are built with dense mounds of soil and stones to create natural raised areas. In the design sense, the islands serve two functions--they create visual interest through shape and texture, and also add what Kahlstrom refers to as "elevation interest," meaning that they add height to an otherwise flat landscape. Once each mound of soil has been shaped to size, a trench is dug around the bottom to allow the first layer of stones to be firmly pressed in place. Then, additional layers of stones are added to the mound, placed in random patterns and pushed firmly into the soil. (Khalstrom stresses the importance of avoiding symmetrical rock patterns, which can make the islands look like burial mounds!)
When laying out the area for the plants, Kahlstrom uses flags to mark the designated spaces for each variety (the flags also create helpful guidelines for the installation of the drip irrigation system). As he positions the plants in place, Kahlstrom places a slow-release fertilizer tablet in each of the planting holes to provide ample nutrients for the plants once they're established.
Kahlstrom explains that this planting plan actually features three "sub-gardens "--a dry or desert garden outside the moon gate that incorporates some of the homeowners' existing plants, such as cactus and a beautiful blue palm, also located just outside the gate. Just inside the gateway, Kahlstrom adds a Tuscan woodland style garden, which complements the existing Italian pines in the homeowners' yard. Finally, connects the two areas with Mediterranean plantings interspersed in the area between.
Featured Plants
Verbena (Temari Series), Zones 9-11--used in the dry garden
Centaurea gymnocarpa, Zones 9-11--used in the mix of Mediterranean plants
Fragaria, Zones 5-9--used in the woodland garden
Step Four: Building the Gate
To create the gate that will fit inside the archway, Herzberg begins by building a Z-shaped frame made with 2"x4" redwood boards, which are secured with screws at the ends where they meet.
Once he completes the frame by adding its crosspiece, Herzberg attaches it to hinges and hangs it in the archway to ensure that it fits properly. (He explains that any size adjustments will be much easier to make on the frame alone rather than the finished panel.)
After checking the fit of the Z-shaped frame in the archway, Herzberg fills in the frame with 1"x6" redwood fence boards. These extra long boards are placed side by side and attached to the frame with polyurethane glue and deck screws; the extra length allows for plenty of excess to shape the top of the panel when it's cut.
In creating the curved shape of the gate's top edge, Herzberg first fashions a cap for the gate panel. In order to ensure that the curve of the cap will match that of the archway, Herzberg anchors the trammel points to a length of wood and places them exactly nine feet apart, just as he did when drawing the curve for the template of the gateway arc. Then, he draws the curved outline onto the wood for the cap and cuts carefully along the marking using a jigsaw. (The height of the cap measures four inches after Herzberg marks and cuts its bottom edge.)
To allow the cap to "sandwich" the fence boards of the gate panel, Herzberg reinforces the piece with two layers of wood cut to the same size and attached on the front and back with polyurethane glue and screws. (A groove along the bottom of the piece allows it to fit snugly over the top of the gate panel.)
After completing the cap, Herzberg holds it against the uncut top portion of the 1"x6" lengths of redwood that form the gate panel and traces its curve onto the wood at the desired height, allowing for several inches between the top of the cap and the gateway arch. Then, he cuts out the pre-marked curve using the jigsaw, just as he did when cutting the matching curve for the cap.
Finally, Herzberg fits the notched cap onto the curved top of the panel, secures it in place with screws and adds an attractive black latch-bolt and handle to the gate.
With the gate finished, the project is finally complete. The dramatic curve of the moon gate archway creates a beautiful focal point that also provides an entrance separate from the garage, while the stone islands and new plantings further enhance the property by adding dimension, color and texture.
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