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A Rustic Pine Fence

Landscape Smart : Episode LDS-512 -- More Projects »

The homeowners want a rustic fence that will add a bit more definition to their front yard.

Adding a fence to your yard may not be as difficult or as expensive as you may think, especially if you desire an open, rustic look. By using recycled lumber, tree trunks, or even discarded Christmas trees, you can make a timber fence to enhance privacy and create a point of interest. Homeowners Marie and Art Atherton want to add a bit of definition to their front yard and set it apart from the street. They'd like to add a simple, rustic fence along the front line.

Though it's not suitable for certain architectural styles, this fence would fit well with a cottage or country home--an informal home and a naturalistic garden. This will be an open fence that functions as a space definer. If you want more of a visual barrier, you'll want to consider other material.

Guest landscape architect Louise Leff of Petaluma, California says that a professional would charge more than $1,700 to build such a fence, but as a do-it-yourself project, a resourceful homeowner could trim the cost to about $150. On a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most difficult, this job deserves a one. The hardest part of this very easy project is digging the holes for the posts.

Preparing the Ground

Clear the ground of plant debris and obstacles.

Mark where you want the fence to go. Dig out the spot, only about two inches deep. Rake to make sure you have a level surface.

Figure A

Using landscaper's spray paint, mark where the posts will go. Here she's spacing them six feet apart for an open, uncluttered look. Her design calls for an alterning pattern of one post, then two posts (figure A).

Dig holes 18 inches deep with a posthole digger or a digging bar. There will be quite a few holes to dig, so you might want to enlist a friend's help.

Building the Fence

Leff and her crew gets the trees for this job from an old Christmas tree farm. They'll use about 25 tree trunks for this 62-foot fence. Conifers are ideal because they grow narrow, tall and straight. Choose trees that are about 9 or 10 feet tall, then clean the trunks by snapping off the branches to make them easier to carry.

Select the shorter pieces for the posts, then use the longer pieces for the horizontal rails to span the distance. Remove some of the bark to make it look more interesting.

Set in a single post and measure 5 feet up from ground level (figure B). Mark the timber and then cut it to length with a saw (figure C).

Figure B

Figure C

Figure D

Figure E

Figure F

Figure G

Set the post in the hole. To hold the post in place, shovel some quick-set concrete into the hole (figure D). It will begin setting up right away, but you'll have time to adjust the posts before the concrete completely sets.

Arrange two posts in a modified X-shape. Measure to the five-foot length and make the cut.

Put the post ends in the two holes. Get a friend to hold the posts while you fill the holes with concrete (figure E).

Run a horizontal rail between the posts about three feet above the ground. Secure the rail in posts with screws (figure F). Slicing off a thin piece of bark on both the rail and the bark helps create two flat surfaces for ease of joining (figure G).

Continue working on the fence the same way. Be sure to overlap the timber rails to give it continuity and added strength.

Adding Rustic Accents:

Sonoma fieldstone boulders placed sporadically under the fence will give more heft to the look and add to the rustic character. There will be three boulders, costing about $35 or $40. Leff chooses boulders that offer a rough-hewn surface and also have lichen on them.

Dig out a shallow bed beneath the fence to hold the boulder. Set the rock in place so that the most attractive side is visible. Backfill to make sure the boulder won't move around.

Planting Plan:

Figure H

Figure I

This rustic fence will be complemented with lots of twining vines. A variety of plants beneath will offer a succession of color throughout the year. This gardener especially loves lavender and purple, so these are the plants Leff selects:

Chilean potato vine (Solanum crispum), Zones 9-10, hardy to 20 degrees F (figure H)

Wisteria (Wisteria floribunda), Zones 5-9, hardy to -20 degrees F

Yarrow (Achillea 'Moonshine'), zones 408, hardy to -30 degrees F (yellow flowers) (figure I)

English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), Zones 5-8, hardy to -20 degrees F)

This simple fence with "found lumber" and complementary plantings provide a rustic and naturalistic addition to this front yard (figures J, K, L).

Figure J

Figure K

Figure L

Guests
Louise Leff
Owner, Louise Leff Landscape Architecture
504 Webster St.
Petaluma, CA
Phone: 707-789-0150
E-mail: design@LeffLandscape.com
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