Edwin and Louanne Bradley of San Francisco are ready to make some changes to their home's landscape. In their backyard are a children's play area, a vegetable garden and a brick patio, but they envision a new entrance--a garden fence with a gate and an overhead arbor--to draw visitors in. "An arbor over a gate at the entrance would bring a taste of country to the city and add a garden element," says Louanne.
Landscape architect Bobbi Feyerabend will help with the project, and she emphasizes that the gate to a garden is like the front door of a house. When you have a door, it says "come in here," explains Feyerabend. Then you have a transition area (a foyer in a home or a courtyard in a garden) that leads you into the greater garden or home.
When adding a new element such as a gate or fence, make sure the design matches the styling of your home: in this case, the house is arts and crafts cottage style.
Some skill is required to set fence posts perfectly plumb, and you may choose to hire some help with this project.
About this project:
- Will cost $800 to $1,000 in materials if you do it yourself and approximately $6,000 to have someone do it for you.
- Can be accomplished in two to three weekends.
- Has a difficulty rating of 2 out of 5 (with 5 being most difficult).
Step One: Building the Fence
First a 16-foot redwood fence was erected to encompass the backyard.
When putting up a fence, you must first establish the two ends of the fence. Then stretch a mason string between the two end posts to create a straight line (figure A). That way when you sink the rest of the posts--six to eight feet apart--they'll line up evenly.
To set the posts, dig a two- to three-foot hole with a post-hole digger. Put gravel in the bottom of the hole for drainage, and pour concrete in around the post (figure B), making sure the post remains level on both sides. Put in enough concrete that it rises above the soil and prevents soil contact with the post, which could rot the wood. Bevel the edge of the concrete with a slight slope so rain won't puddle around the post (figure C).
Add horizontal rails, then fix with vertical boards and lattice panels. Secure the prefab lattice panels with 1" x 1" strips of wood (figure D).
Tip: Use a nail gun to save time and effort (many can be rented by the day).
Step Two: Building the Entrance
You can buy an attractive cedar arbor kit for about $300, as opposed to spending about $1,500 for a custom-built arbor. Kits are available in many different styles. Prefab gates (figure E) or plans are available to complement your home and fence.
When installing a garden gate, use at least three heavy hinges for good support, and put in only one screw per hinge when you start (figure F). If the gate isn't hanging correctly and you need to make adjustments, you won't need to remove several screws.
Plantings
Outside the gate, landscape architect Bobbi Feyerabend adds accent plants, evergreen shrubs and colorful flowers to soften the fence and draw visitors' eyes toward the garden entry area. The goal is to achieve a harmonious look through the repetition of plants.
Inside the gate Feyerabend will build beds around the new seating area and plant darker specimens, such as Japanese maples, to give the feeling of a foyer.
Here are a few of her plant choices:
- Flowering maple (Abutilon, Zones 8-10), with its bell-shaped blossoms, has leaves that resemble those of a maple tree.
- 'Bluebird' hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla, Zones 6-9) is a good landscaping choice for mild climates.
- Bacopa (Bacopa 'Snowflake', Zones 9-10) is a newer plant that can be grown as an annual in colder climates.
- Evergreen clematis (Clematis, Zones 7-9) is a climber known for its distinctive foliage.
- Potato vine (Solanum jasminoides, Zones 8-10) is perfect for the Bradleys' arbor.
Step Three: Building the Paths A short path from the sidewalk to the garden entryway is made from flagstone in grass. The only materials needed for this installation are flagstones, a rubber mallet, a flat spade and sand.
Creating a brick path inside the garden is a little more complicated. Here, the bricks have been tumbled to give an aged look and are laid in a basketweave pattern.
The new garden entryway and sitting area are complete, and the project is an absolute success!
Resources cedar arbor
Decorative Outdoor Products
18 A Sparks Ave.
Nantucket, MA 02554
Phone: 877-434-7730
Fax: 877-434-7730
URL:
www.decorativeoutdoorproducts.com
Guests Phil Birkmyer
Project Contractor, Birkmyer Landscapes
408 Elm Ave.
San Bruno, CA 94066
Phone: 650-952-0369
Bobbi Feyerabend
Landscape Architect, Feyerabend & Madden Landscape Design
1301 61st St.
Emeryville, CA 94608
Phone: 510-450-0803
Fax: 510-450-0805
Website:
www.fmlanddesign.com
Brian Croak
Project Foreman
Phone: 650-952-0369
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