Improvising: the fence project

John stands behind our new see-through fence where a vegetable garden will one day thrive (we hope). The fence makes use of an old lattice that once served as a trellis, and replaces a solid cedar fence that blocked too much sunlight. At the end of this post is John's video of the triumphant ending of our fence-replacement project.  

It’s not easy – or comfortable – to go shopping in these coronavirus times, so when we needed to replace part of the solid cedar fence at the back of our property with something less, well, solid, we tried to think creatively. The goal was to build a fence that would let enough light through from the lane that the vegetable garden we’re envisioning for that spot might actually happen.

How about building a frame and using the roll of tiny-paned wire we found in the garage? How about removing every other slat from the existing fence? Could we imitate the neighbours and create a picket fence? Chain link was too ugly to contemplate, and besides, we’d have to go shopping.

But there was something intriguing about the square lattice that we’d gotten years ago from a neighbour whose house was being torn down. She’d used it as a trellis, and hated to think of it ending up in the demolition pile. It’s served us well as an addition to another section of the back fence (we like to improvise, never rebuild!) when a newly trimmed hedge exposed how low it was. Now that new trees have grown up in that section, maybe the lattice could be repurposed once again.

John did have to go shopping after all, as he wanted to save the old fence – just in case. He bought wood to build a frame, and fitted the old lattice into it. We hauled out the old fence and inserted the new one. Even after the virus scare fades and we can shop in comfort again, who knows how many more times our fences ­– both lattice and cedar ­– might come in handy again?

On the right is the sunlight-blocking, very solid cedar fence that we removed, but saved, just in case! The open spot is where we hope vegetables will grow.

John puts primer on the frame for the new fence insert.

The old trellis that had to be cut down to fit into the frame.

All fitted in and ready to go!

Making sure the bottom board is level before the new fence is inserted. The video that follows shows the new fence in place and the old one being taken away.