NEW YEAR, NEW FENCE

In the alternative Chinese horoscope, 2023 is predicted to be the year of the Landscaper. 

 

2023 - the year of the Landscaper

After the protracted drama of extension and kitchen refurb, I can’t bear the thought of any more mess in the house so this year, efforts are to be focused on getting the back garden up to scratch beginning with a spot of fence replacement and a new patio.

 

Side fence on its last legs

Boundary fences and hedges are often a constant source of tension in neighbourly relations.  Its easy to see why.  Nobody wants to be overshadowed by rampant leylandii or cede an inch of land to the other side in a domestic border dispute.  So far, our elderly neighbour next door has been fine about our proposed garden upgrade but she may not look upon us quite so kindly when we start hacking into her hedge.

 

Taking down the old fence

There’s a reason why it is best to plant anything at least 12 inches from a boundary.  People forget that plants grow outwards as well as upwards and tatty old fences like ours eventually collapse under the continual pressure of an encroaching hedge.

 

Never plant a hedge right next to a boundary fence

Fence panels with horizontal timber slats do little to stem the tide of growth, bowing outwards until the wood cracks.  Better to pay the extra for good closeboard fence panels with vertical slats that will offer a stronger defence or build a brick wall if you can afford it. 

Or you can go for a combination of both brick wall and fence as we’ve decided to do based on a design currently standing in our Landscaping yard at work.

 

Nice combination of brick and timber

I feel this design offers the best compromise for our situation.  The low brick wall can act as a hard barrier against any sideways encroachment, the timber slat design on the top will enable stray branches to poke through which can then be snipped off from our side.  Future fence maintenance should be easier as any damaged timber slats can then be replaced individually rather than as a whole panel.

 

Looks good and easy to maintain

The only foreseeable issue is likely to be the positioning of the wall as to maintain our fence’s boundary line it may mean digging out some of the hedge roots for the footings.  I suspect being the good neighbours we are, we will end up with the footings mostly on our side meaning that next door may gain the odd inch or two of garden. 

 

Is that on my side of the fence?

If you are embarking on such a project, remember to check if your boundary is a party fence and subject to the Party Walls Act as you’ll need to follow the necessary protocols BEFORE you can begin work.  Good communication with neighbours is vital to avoid any accusations later on that you’ve stolen part of their garden. 

The existing crazy paved patio is to be dug up and replaced with a raised area paved in Bradstone Autumn Green slabs.

 

Uneven patio to be dug up

Bradstone Autumn Green slabs

A path constructed of the same slabs will connect the patio area to the side of the house, running along the front of the new extension forming a nice wraparound from front to back.

 

Patio to be slightly raised

New path to link patio to the side of house

As with all these projects, the key question is how much of a budget do you need for this type of job?  The answer is – it depends.  Mostly on the size of the area being landscaped and also on whether you are providing any of the materials yourself. 

If like us, you are supplying the bulk of the materials such as bricks, slabs, timber, etc then it’ll work out a lot cheaper than if you get a quote for the whole project.  The first landscaping company we approached quoted just under £7,000 for the lot far more than we’d want to spend so always apply the golden rule of three – ie obtain at least 3 quotes from reputable sources then choose the landscaper that offers you the best value for money. 

If you watch Garden Rescue on the telly then most of their landscaping projects usually have a budget of between £4 and £5,000 to do a whole garden so that is what I’ve set aside as a starting point for our landscaping project.

 

Charlie says ...

In addition to the golden rule of three, it is best to remember that old saying ‘buy cheap, pay twice’ when embarking on a landscaping project.  These jobs should only be done once in your lifetime so invest in the best quality materials you can afford if you want your patio/fencing to last for years.

Work begins 16 January so more updates to follow.