Landscape 101

A rather bright mid-green was the fence colour of choice in the 1960s. By the turn of the century that green had darkened substantially, before morphing into a deep charcoal to black in the twenty-teens. Here it stayed – some would argue, for too long. Signs are now that its popularity is waning, in the more vanguard gardens at least. While black is smart, it can veer toward predictable or grimness. It shows foliage off beautifully but so do other colours. Trending are lighter shades of it, that is, soft greys. Always calming, it also replicates the natural colour of ageing wood, silvering gently. A teal-grey will calm and fade into the distance; while a more tea-coloured one hints at faraway hills. White, like black, is smart; unlike black however, it is lively and timeless. Instead of a hard white, try an off-white, or one that matches the paintwork of your house. Dark brown colours work well, but only as a stain, seldom as paint. Some prefer what landscape designers call “invisible green,” which is any shade of dull green that disappears under foliage. It is likely the colour those ’60s gardeners were going for and also highlights one of the secrets of getting a fence looking good – never skimping on the foliage in front of, above or over it. nd The other major decision in treating a wooden fence is whether to stain or paint it. Paint offers more colour choices and not as much of it is required in comparison to a stain, which soaks in. On the other hand, a stain is more forgiving regarding application, especially if the wood is rough-hewn. If the fence is already stained, paint can be applied, though in some cases a light sanding may be needed. Staining over a painted fence, however, is not recommended.