(another re-post)
(re-post from Oct 4 2011)
HOMEFREE. Georgetown, Ontario.
For some reason I got thinking about fences and that there had been a LOT of fences in my life; so went strolling through the photo albums. Yep!
This was in the side yard of the first house we owned back in the Sixties, a large old Arts and Crafts on a corner lot.
A dense lattice for privacy had been chosen for the gazebo so we made the fence a larger lattice to complement.
HILL COTTAGE The Beaches, Toronto.
.
(This was where Urban Wilderness Gardeners got started in the Eighties )
This gazebo has horizontal lattice in a perfect proportion for the site and for the sight of the person(s) inside when viewing nature, human and otherwise, who might pass by.
But the intent of this photo is to place the next fence, the angled grape stake middle left.
It's a suncatcher fence, south/west facing, flanking a flagstone patio, holding sun rays and shadows in a most welcome way in an Ontario winter.
This is the backyard, a small strip as the house is set back from the street with most of the land in front.
An elderly couple with a wilderness backyard lived behind us (to the right) so we put up an airy and open fence between the properties.
The north boundary looked over and down on backyards so a grape stake cedar fence was erected for safety and privacy in a wave pattern for interest and flow. We left an opening. Our boys and their friends would have simply climbed over the fence had we not.
This was my introduction to what the Japanese call "borrowed landscape" : the eyes travel freely across vistas.
COTTAGE UNIQUE VICTORIA BC
Having had the experience of a house set back on a property with the space and views and ambiance that this gave, it was sought – and found – again.
The fence planned for across the front exceeded the bylaw height here and there so the city had to be petitioned for an exception. It was explained that the fence was to mimic the mountains and ocean waves with its curves. The petition was approved.
The back deck had great views to the south and west. A cedar grape stake fence, again waved, was put up. This time some of the laths were installed in such a way that they could be removed and offer more 'borrowed landscape' from a seated position but replaced for privacy or, in the winter, for wind protection.
There have been fences since then but I can't find suitable photos. The one that leaps to mind was constructed from wood rescued at the demolition of an old house by Estevan Village. It was a lot of fun to sort through the planks, remove the (square headed!) nails, put up a fence as a divider between sections of the garden at the house on Walnut. The shorter pieces were put together like a fence around two large log pieces (brought to us by a friend with a truck for the seats) forming backs and armrests to create a conversation nook. I've since used two comfortable lawn chairs to do this but it was not the same as the log sections and 'house bones'. I still think of that house when I eat at the Willows Gallery across from where that old house stood.