HOA's are usually about a unified set of values. Often, the most important aesthetic values that they try to preserve, create, or enhance is the overall look of the neighborhood. If you get someone who decides that instead of a tree lined street with open lawns and white picket fences he wants a 6' stockade fence all around his property, it could ruin the overall look of the neighborhood that everyone has collectively invested in. I would suggest that you try to get a copy of the rules without specifically telling anyone what you want to do. Then look them over and sketch out a plan that meets the standards and force them to cite a reason why it can not be accepted. Hoa's should not be a group of people who accept and reject projects without documented rules that guide their decisions. However, control freaks like to sit on these boards from time to time. Sometimes they run with their personal agendas especially if no one stands up to them. Usually, you can get a feel of how yours is just by talking with neighbors and the "gossip".

Landscape timbers are made form a wide variety of woods - longevity will depend on the specific wood used and if they have been treated (many have been chemically treated for durability). For untreated timbers or softwoods, rather than roofing tar use a regular wood preservative, like is used for decks and wood fences, and coat the entire timber. Also sinking the timbers into concrete rather than just digging them into the soil will give you a much sturdier fence structure and will extend the life of the wood.

all things considered, i have to agree with maggie & calliope. when we first got our chickens, they were kept in a hastily-made coop with bare-bones chicken-wire pen. our chocolate lab was wildly curious about these interlopers in HER yard - we weren't watching when she easily dug under the unsecured fence and did what labs do: she caught 4 chickens and had the poor dead things lined up by the back door for us, all in a row. she was promptly scolded and has never even shown any interest in them again (it's been 8 years) ... and our cat was VERY interested in watching them - from a safe distance. i think the chickens intimidated him a bit. on the other hand, a neighbor with chickens has a couple of little bulldogs that are determined chicken-killers - she's tried, they're not trainable - they stay inside when the girls are outside their run. so, rather than deal with the perils of a cheapie fence, you can try to train the dog to mind his business, or just keep him inside while the girls are free-ranging in the nice grass :) marsha

Here are the directions. I wish you could see the pictures of how this looks, but they sent me a color copy, not a link. Since your patio is green, you would probably have to paint it some sort of cement type color to form the 'grout lines' before rolling on the bricks. If you have patience and a steady hand, this is a great cheap fix. Let me know if you do this and how it turns out. Or, if you have any questions. from Cottage Living: for painting old concrete to look like brick. This is the technique I used on my patio that I got from Cottage Living Magazine. They sent me a reprint, since I misplaced the article. I only wish I could post the photos from the article so you could see what she is doing. But here are the written instructions. Let me know if you need any help. You can do it Go Faux it. The plain paving around the 1930's cottage did little to enhance its charm, but tearing out the concrete and laying a brick walkway would have cost thousands. Instead, Claudia mixed a batch of brick colored paint and rolled it right onto the concrete. Initially, she tried stenciling the bricks, but when it looked 'too neat and perfect', she decided to do the job by hand. After painting a 100 foot long path in an afternoon, she was so pleased with the results that she went onto brick her entire driveway. Details: Paint a brick walkway:Gather the goods: 4 inch paint roller, paint tray, custom blended paint 1) Claudia Darr used 1 gallon of Benjamin Moore's MoorGard Low Lustre Latex House Paint (#103-4B) in the following forumla (the paint dealer will know what this means):OY 1x8, RX 5x, BK 1x22, MA 3x, WH1x16, TG 18 2) Clean the area you plan to paint, and let it dry thoroughly 3) Beginning in a corner, use a 4 inch roller to paing " bricks". Make each one about 7 inches long, leaving about 3/4 inch between each brick (to simulate grout line). Stagger adjoining rows so bricks form a wall pattern. Good luck with this and let us know how it turns out. Some tips from me: sweep the area well before you do this. The 4 inch roller is a skinny little roller that I found in the Benjamin more paint store. It came with a roller stick. I attached one of those wooden poles that screwed into the handle of the roller handle. It is the type you would use when you would paint your ceiling. Trust me, you do not want to bend over with the roller for an entire day painting the ground! Experiment on some old newspaper first to get your technique down. And, I first went around the entire outside of the patio laying the 'bricks' out along the edge in the opposite direction that I ran the rest of the bricks in. It makes for a nicer look.