The fence project

When we first moved here, we talked about fencing in the yard. We drew pictures and knew how we would run our fence line. We looked in fabulous bungalow architecture books at Arts and Crafts fence styles - books like "Outside the Bungalow" and "Arts and Crafts Gardens." We researched Gertrude Jekyll and read about her garden designs, and we drew up plans for plantings and beds all around the house.

But the space was so open, on our new street, and the neighbors were so wonderful, and we hated to put up fences that would block our views.

We couldn't get dogs without a fence, and so no dogs stayed at our house. The planned paths and landscapes never materialized. We just had a pretty regular yard on a pretty regular lot - but we did walk through each others back yards to get to friends houses, and we did have free range for walks. The neighborhood community encouraged this open sentiment, and we loved it.

But as time goes on, everything begins to change. Neighbors moved away, other's moved in, fences were built, the only open walking path was in front of the houses on the side walk. Still, we resisted the fencing. It was expensive, we hadn't agreed on a design, we weren't sure how we wanted to proceed, we had forgotten where the property survey lines were, and on and on.

Finally, though, we started looking at pictures of dogs. And thinking that, if we had started the fence two years ago and just had built a section at a time, we would be well done by now.

So it was back to the design books - which were very inspiring. We spent several weeks looking at possibilities, and running around the neighborhoods near and far taking pictures of fences.

We had the property surveyed. And drew up our design. And talked about how we would landscape the fence with climbing flowers, and how we would landscape the paths, and how we would make the gates fabulous.

We took some starting pictures of the yard - and were surprised when we had the survey complete at exactly where the property lines ran, but now, the fence project - which will absolutely be a work of art - is in progress. Mr. Bryant is building a section at a time, and both sides of the fence will be "finished" to present a beautiful backdrop no matter where you stand. He was working hard to plant the first posts - he dug the holes 3 feet down and then it rained.

There are two posts in the ground now standing 7 feet tall for the 6 foot fence, and they are 3 feet in the ground. These two posts mark where a gate will stand someday. We have begun.

My Bryant was tired once these two posts were up, but the building is a super work-out, so his muscles are getting bigger with every fence section! :)