Tag Archives: East Finchley

Cedar Fence with Horizontal Boards

Cedar fence with smooth horizontal boards

Horizontal smooth cedar boards make a beautiful contemporary fence.

Long lasting, low maintenance and rather beautiful, a cedar fence can be a great solution for an attractive boundary.  The material is available in different sizes and finishes.  It can be installed using horizontal boards or upright boards to suit the garden style.

 

 

 

 

Planed Cedar Fence – East Finchley

Smooth cedar fence

Cedar boards are planed all round and the fence looks great on both sides

This cedar fence in East Finchley has horizontal boards of Western Red Cedar  ( species: Thuja plicata). The boards are planed all round so the fence looks smooth and really good on both sides.  In a small garden the horizontal boards give a feeling of length and width.

 

 

 

Cedar Fence Detail

cedar fence horizontal boards

Each cedar board has a different character

The posts are all planed for a smooth finish and planed trim boards cover the joints.  Each of the fence boards has a different character with a unique grain pattern and colour.  These ones are clear grade without knots and range in colour from a pale pinkish colour to a richer cedar colour. The wide boards have very small gaps between them for expansion and contraction.  The edges are profiled to close the gaps for privacy so it looks pretty much like a solid fence.

 

 

 

Cedar Fence Maintenance

Very little maintenance is required for Western Red Cedar.  It is a softwood native to the Pacific coast of British Columbia and has been used for thousands of years by the First Nations of Western Canada and North West America.  The picture shows a reconstruction of traditional homes at the UBC Museum of Anthropology.

Western red cedar used for centuries by First Nations

Western Red Cedar used for centuries by First Nations

The cedar is durable and naturally resistant to decay.   It is generally recommended that new wood is protected with a clear breathable sealant.  Thereafter, the wood can be allowed to weather slowly to a silvery grey without any further treatment.  Alternatively, to preserve the cedar colour, an oil would need to be applied annually.

Millstone Water Feature

Millstone Water Feature – East Finchley

Millstone Water Feature

Water cascade over antique millstone

A millstone water feature provides a focal point in a courtyard garden or entrance area. Water flows through the centre and cascades gently bringing a sense of calm.  Once used for crushing grain into flour, the antique millstone links history to this garden in East Finchley. With garden lighting, the water feature looks great at night too.

 

 

The Millstone

Millstone Water Feature 19th century millstone

Lichen on weathered red sandstone, the millstone for the water feature

This red sandstone millstone spent its working life in the 19th century in a mill in Cumbria. Since being discarded in the countryside, it became very weathered with lichen.  In its new life as a millstone water feature, the lichen pattern will change as the water flow creates a new micro-climate and local ecology. It all adds to the charm and changing interest of the water feature.

 

 

 

Waterworks and Lighting

Millstone Water Feature - Lighting

Beams from uplighters illuminate the millstone water feature

Water is pumped from a reservoir below the millstone. It flows through the hole in the top and then cascades gently over the sides. Stainless steel uplighters direct their beams on to the water.  The small fountain look likes a flame!  Grey slate paddlestones cover the waterworks and electric cables. My design makes it easy to remove the pump if needed.

 

 

Clay Paver Path and Seasonal Plants

Millstone Water Feature in island bed

Millstone water feature in island bed with paddlestones and plants

My garden design sits the millstone water feature in a larger island bed.  The clay paver path provides a route around the garden.  We completed the planting in November and it will fill out in 2016.  There is already some winter interest with evergreen tiarella, carex and ferns. The larger pheasants tail grass will give wonderful autumn colour into winter.  Spring and summer will bring soft seasonal colour with pink and white columbine, lilac day lilies, palest blue veronica and pink astrantia.