I've never been a fan of fences. Possibly I was put off by a long-ago dispute with a neighbour who demanded I fund half of a particularly ugly fence he insisted on building the entire length of our boundary so he did not have to witness my occasional naked sunbathing.
Considering he could really see only into my garden if hanging by his toes from his upstairs toilet window, considering I was at work most daylight hours and often away at the weekend, and considering that we lived in Dunedin, the chances of catching me sunbathing were fairly remote.
The disputes tribunal took a different view and I had to cough up half of $5000 for a 2m-high board fence, the ugly side of which faced my garden. Now, 30 years later, I'm again looking at having to fund a fence I don't really want. The advantage is that it will stop my property from flooding. The disadvantage is that I'll have to pay for all of it.
The only problem is how to make it both affordable and attractive. My partner, my friends, my colleagues and other advisers - ranging from the council's water engineer to the DoC consultant to the bloke who collects the wheelie bin - have all put in their two bob's worth. Interestingly, they all brought something valuable to the drawing board.
I was about to scoff at the neighbour, who suggested a concrete footing topped with railway sleepers - hugely expensive, I thought - until I discovered it would be cheaper than the rendered concrete block option I was favouring.
The main issue is how to create a long expanse of wall or fence that's interesting because 15m of anything is going to be boring unless there's some light relief.
Generally speaking, it's not a bad idea to try to tie the design to the style of the house, which is why I'd initially thought of rendered concrete block. Our house is plaster with stained timber and I could visualise a concrete wall with insets of timber and a couple of built-in seats partway along to break the monotony. That design is still on the drawing board.
Then I found a picture of a wall into which a corrugated iron water tank had been incorporated. A budding interest in sustainability immediately attracted me to this - and I liked the look. Since the roof of the house is corrugated iron it would have at least a tenuous link to the architecture and it would provide a way of getting two good-looking new water tanks that wouldn't need to be buried.
A corrugated iron wall with serious timber fenceposts - possibly railway sleepers - is another option. Corrugated iron was once considered a cheap method of fencing but, used well and in combination with other materials, it can be as stylish as anything else.
It's the detail that counts. A fence doesn't have to be straight. If you live in a curvy Art Deco house, a curved plaster or corrugated iron wall may work perfectly with the architecture. A square house might cry out for square walls, but there's nothing to stop them stepping up or down, or having a rectangular alcove for a seat.
A brick house can sit comfortably behind a timber fence with brick columns.
Finally, planting, seating, container plants, sculptures, finials or artwork along any fence can make or break the look. Even an artfully placed collection of stones, shells or driftwood will lift your wall out of the ordinary.
Pride of place on mine will be the little artwork of the nutty lady swimmer - she has togs on, I know, but it will remind me of a fence from my past.
Useful, attractive fence options
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.