Gardening : Other : A Rustic Garden Gate : Home & Garden Television

This partially landscaped yard has a koi pond, and the homeowners would like to separate it from the rest of the yard.

Adding plantings and a gate will liven up the bare backyard.

A graphic of the new design

Homeowners Marshall and Pat Lott want to separate a koi pond from the rest of their yard so their grandchildren can play unsupervised. Landscape designer Susan Ballinger comes up with a gate that has the rustic, out-of-the-ordinary look that the Lotts want. She uses wood--some of it is recycled--to create the gate and ages the gate to enhance the rustic feel.

This project has a difficulty level of "3" on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the most difficult. It costs only $300 to do it yourself; if you hire a professional, expect to spend around $1200. The price of plants is not included in either estimate: the cost of accessories is not included in the estimate for professional installation. The project takes about two weekends to complete.

Building the Gate

Start by marking the location the fence posts--two inner posts and two outer posts on each end. Dig the post holes at least 18 inches deep.

Figure A

Figure B

Figure C

Set in 4x4 redwood posts (figure A), making sure they're plumb, then fill the holes with quick-set concrete.

Trim the tops of the posts four feet for the outer posts, five feet for the inner.

Span the distance between the posts with 2x4 rails and secure those rails in place with screws (figure B).

It's time for the crosspieces: Ballinger recommends fastening 1x2s vertically and horizontally; use deck screws to fasten those and create a grid design (figure C).

Most gates are labor-intensive due to complicated framing and joints. To make it easier, build the entire gate on the ground using 4' x 8' sheets of marine-grade plywood. Lay the design on the plywood and cut it out. Then use the first sheet as a template for the other three sheets you use to build the gate.

Figure D

Figure E

Begin by cutting those eight-foot panels down to five feet so they match the height of the inner posts.

Stretch a measuring tape from a nail at the base of the plywood to the top edge (figure D).

Using the tape as a guide, trace an arch onto the panel (figure E), then cut the curve with a jigsaw.

Trace any other decorative details onto the panel as well.

Ballinger's design calls for several cutouts; she cuts large openings at the bottom--these will be filled in with slats. The arched cutouts at the top will remain open as windows: the Lotts and their guests will be able to see the pond area from the area outside the gate.

Figure F

Drill starter holes in the plywood to help you begin the cuts, and use a jigsaw to complete the cutouts. The finished piece is the template for the next three--just lay that cutout piece on each sheet and trace it. Use both front panels as templates for the gate's back panels (figure F). Don't cut half-moon shapes out of the back panels--only the front of the gate will contain the design and decoration.

Ballinger suggests this method to give the fence an aged look: use a small butane torch to lightly scorch the wood. This brings out the grain and enhances the rustic look. (Caution: make sure there are no combustible materials close by.) Before torching, sand the panels to create a smooth surface. Use a light touch when scorching the wood--it won't take much to give the panel an aged look. Paint a plywood varnish to seal the grain and bring out the color of the wood. Wait 24 hours for the varnish to dry.

Planting Plan

Since the pond is already a focal point, Ballinger wants to add plants that you would find growing near a pond in nature. She will use a few colored plants to give the area interest and draw people to the area,then fills the beds in front of the gate with perennials, adding small trees as focal points. Beyond the gate she'll add ferns and decorative grasses as well as some low-growing plants.

Among her selections:

Mallow (Lavatera maritima) 'Bicolor', Zones 6-8

Autumn fern (Dryopteris erythrosora), Zones 6-9

Japanese maple (Acer palmatum dissectum), Zones 6-8

Honeybush (Melianthus major), Zones 8-10

Attaching the Slats

Figure G

Figure H

Figure I

Figure J

Figure K

Figure L

Use inexpensive recycled 1x1s from an old fence as slats for the bottom of the gate. Create a ledge in the framing for the slats--use a router to carve a shallow 1/8-inch cavity (figure G) in the back of the gate's front panel. Also use the router to carve a 1/4-inch ledge in the half-moon cutout (figure H) to hold the decoration--in this case, a ceramic koi fish medallion--again cutting only the back of the gate's front panels. Feel free to be creative when choosing your inlay: use broken plates or tiles, wire mesh or stained glass, for example.

It's time to cut the one-inch slats to length. You want them to fit inside the three-foot opening on the lower half of the front panels. Lay the slats in place, side by side (figure I). To get them to fit along the curves of the frame, trace the curves onto the 1-inch pieces and cut each piece to fit (figure J). Don't worry about nailing the slats to secure them, because setting the back panels in place will take care of that.

Adding the Inlaid Artwork

To position the inlay, place the gates--front panels face down--on the ground. Set in each half of the medallion and make sure it's sitting securely in the carved ledge. Lay the back panel on top of the front one (figure K) and screw the pieces together. Place T-hinges on the back of the gate and screw them in place. Do the same for the other gate door and add a simple latch (figure L): you're done!

Completed project:

Guests
Susan Ballinger
Landscape Designer
Susan Ballinger Garden Designs
We apologize no further information is available. Also in this Episode

Landscape Smart : Episode LDS-607
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