We have a new fence! In December, which is kind of weird. We had been trying to get this scheduled since the summer, and it only now happened. But at least it happened! No more temporary plastic mesh fencing to keep the dogs out of the garden area. No more fence panels that blow over with a strong wind.

Ah, look at all that fresh orange cedar with the dormant plants. Beautiful.

The fence needs to be toned down, obviously. Hydrangeas, boxwoods, and whatever else to come too. But look at how pleased I am to have a securely fenced in yard.

(Hi! My pink coat is a few years old, but the faux fur wrap is new and fun, as are the suede heels.)

I had mentioned my idea about creating different areas with fencing when I was working on the backyard last spring. More recently, I shared these renderings on Instagram. I don’t own a drone and have no interest in climbing a tree for an aerial shot, so these give a good overview of our plot and garden layout.

The sandbox is now oddly enclosed in the dog run, so that should probably be moved. It’s great though to be able to let the dogs out into just the dog run from the back door, or choose to let them explore the larger part of the yard while we’re out there with them.

The arch and trellis create a nice separation without blocking the view or chopping the yard up in a way that makes it feel smaller, but I think I’m most excited about the circle gate toward the front of the house. We hired Suburban Fence and the guy I talked to said that what I was asking for isn’t something they have ever offered, adding that he’d only “seen in on Pinterest.” Busted, I guess, but they made my circle gate happen!

Those of you that have either stained or painted a wooden fence, would you share your experiences? Does it hold up? Does it need to be maintained every year? I had a recommendation for Cabot Bleaching Oil (which seems to have been discontinued with only the stain available now) and have seen some discussions about bleaching oil vs. weathering stain, or a mix of the two (?). More research is needed in this area, and I would love your input.

After the wood is painted/stained and new plants have gone in, it might look look something like this? Eventually!