Help with difficult area - pics

12 years ago

Please feel free to direct me to a different forum for advice. As you'll see in the picture, there is a raised bed and then a gap and then the fence.

Here's what happened... before the new fence there were a few trees bordering the properties. Our neighbors happily surprised me by cutting them down but they left the stumps. Wanting to take advantage of the new sunny area I had my husband build a raised bed because we couldn't dig into the ground - many large tree roots.

Then our neighbors and I decided to buy a fence together and I assumed it would be up against the raised bed, but to make it straight it didn't work out that way.

Finally we're getting to the problem at hand... now there is an uneven and unsightly gap between the raised bed and the fence. It is about 18 inches and widens to over 24 inches in the back.

It gets about 6 hours of direct sun a day from 11-5pm.

I cannot have my husband re-do the raised bed to fit the new proportions. He killed himself hammering in steel rods to keep this one from shifting.

The additional problem is the property slope down towards the fence. There isn't enough room to add railroad ties against the fence and fill it with dirt. HELP please!

Thanks!

Here I'm holding a trellis up to take the picture. I thought I would have clematis climbing up it but the gap bothers me too much so it's just laying there.

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Here it is from a distance...

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Comments (15)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
12 years ago
how about just take the leaning fence out???

and then you are going to have to figure out how to keep the soil back.. so you dont rot the new fence.. they are not really made to bury ... and it looks like the ends of the planking is already under the soil ...

berms.. or raised beds.. do NOT need retaining walls.. if made to the proper angle ... perhaps in fall.. you can rework the slope ....

to my eye.. the fact that it leans ... means it has to go ... its hurts my eyes to see it in an otherwise nice looking garden ... its a distraction.. and detraction ...

ken
njmomma
Original Author
12 years ago
ken, I'm confused. Nothing is leaning - do you mean crooked?
The new fence is not leaning, the raised bed is not leaning, then are just not perfectly parallel to each other which is one of the problems plus the gap.
Are you saying to disassemble the raised bed and make it again against the fence? I'm confused. I'm not sure if there is any other option, but I know my husband will not agree to it. As I said, it took him a lot of effort to hammer in rebar into the railroad ties of the raised bed.
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diggerdee zone 6 CT
12 years ago
njmomma, I think Ken is referring to the trellis you are holding up.

Is there any problem with just leaving the gap as is? I think you may find it will be helpful in giving access to the bed for maintenance. You could mulch the area to keep weeds down.

Is it a perennial bed? If so, a small shrub or two along the back of the bed will help hide the gap from the front view.

Dee
njmomma
Original Author
12 years ago
Dee, yes, it's a perennial bed but it's only 3 feet wide so any bushes, and I've thought of that, would take up all of the area once matured. I guess I could do that anyway. I forgot to state the dimensions of the bed in my original post.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
12 years ago
new fence perfect..

new bed.. perfect.. trellis or smaller fence.. leaning.. yuck ... looks tacky ...

put clematis on new fence ...

any clearer???

do NOT make hubby work that hard ...

ken
Cher
12 years ago
Buy wood fence posts to match the new fence post. Cut them to size between the fence lengths - should be 7 foot 8 inches. Only need to lay them flat between the posts holding the fence, they won't be going anywhere so no need to anchor them. They will be high enough to hold in a little bit of fill dirt between the fence and the current bed you made. Take the trellis and attach it instead to the fence posts and add your clematis into that area instead. It should fill in decently but if needed will allow enough room for you to squeeze in to prune.
Cher
njmomma
Original Author
12 years ago
thanks Cher. Sounds like a plan.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
12 years ago
chohio

thats to freakin simple.... how can we work power tools into the equation ... though we dont want the old man workin to hard.. but he should be able to use some power tools.. lol

i would use 2 by eight or 2 by ten [treated] ... rather than using posts horizontally .. oh ... power drill to attach 2 x 8 ... and predrill the boards .. to make it easy to drill in the 4 inch screws ... there.... i worked in a power tool ... lol ...

ken
terrene
12 years ago
Is there any objection to growing annual vines right on the new wooden fence? If not then I would make a long narrow lasagne bed in the gap right over the tree roots, so that you can create some rich soft soil. Then grow a fast growing annual vine like Cardinal Climber, Cypress vine, morning glories. Annual vines would not damage the fence, and you can clean them off when they frost in the fall.

If you prefer perennial vines, then I would create the more permanent trellis in front as Chohio suggests. Whichever you grow, the vines will probably want to wander and grow on the new fence anyway.
mnwsgal
12 years ago
If you decide to grow clematis many have found that they do not grow well on lattice as it is too wide for leaves to twine around to anchor the plant.

I think it would be beautiful to attach wire to your fence and add clematis. Come over to the clematis forum for more ideas.

Here is a link that might be useful: Clematis on a fence
Cher
12 years ago
Ken you are a riot! LOL I suggested the fence post horizontal since they are the same width and they are pretreated also. She could even use landscape timbers which are much cheaper but are about 1 inch more narrow in width and also are pretreated.

She wants Clematis and would be able to weave it in and out as desired instead of just where it wants to go.

It is a simple solution which ultimately would look lovely and look like she had designed it that way and hubby would get to play with a few tools like a saw and drill but nothing too hard.

Good luck with however you decide to do this. Would love to see photos when finished.
Cher
Vicki
12 years ago
I wouldn't mess with wire on the lattice unless you try clematis without it first. Too much work and I have never had problems with clematis on lattice.
calistoga_al ca 15 usda 9
12 years ago
You shared the cost of the new fence with your neighbor but he got the finished side. I would mount your lattice on the new fence posts and plant your clematis to grow on the lattice. I am assuming the new fence is on the property line. If it is on your neighbors property you will need his permission to use a little of his ground on your side of the fence. Al
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
12 years ago
if you choose the right type of clematis.. one that should be cut near the ground every year..

then you can use bird netting.. and at the end of the year.. simply cut the plant.. and throw it all away ...

ken

Here is a link that might be useful: link
njmomma
Original Author
12 years ago
thanks guys. I opted for the back of the fence side because I knew I'd have plants all along it and it wouldn't be seen really.
The clematis I have is type II pruning so it won't be cut down to the ground every year, but I have to qualms about attaching a wire fence to the new fence.
Thanks for all the support and ideas. Now who wants to come over and do it for me? What? No takers? :)

Help with difficult area - pics

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ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

njmomma
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ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

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