Fence

I'm visiting an old topic as I start to get upto speed on my blog again...
It may be new to anyone that has just started reading my jottings...We have having some rather bad weather during December and the start of 2007. Nothing as bad as the kind that many parts of the world have and continue to suffer, in the great scheme of things its nothing. I dare say someone will try to tie this period of bad weather into global warming.

The simple fact is we have gale force winds happening. Fences will blow down whatever happens but...readers know that we had new neighbours move in perhaps 12-14 months ago.



Most of the period since there has been lots of change. We have seen trees and shrubs ripped out and the area left as open space or converted to concrete and walls.

A natural break which divided our properties and had been there as long as I can remember was pulled out and what remained was not worth trying to save(it was mainly grown from their side so if they wanted it out, it had to go)It was a great wind breaker and there was nothing that could be damaged by being blown down.



So a new panel fence was erected. With decent posts driven into the ground and a reasonable sized panels it probably would have been strong and high enough. Our own is still standing some 30 years or more. And looking around, other fences locally are still standing. I think anything that survives today has done very well. They had to be different. They decided on shorter panels and decided to add height by building brickwork at the bottom and placing the panels on top. The panels were fastened to the posts by two very small thin brackets per panel.



The area is now so open there is nothing to break up wind direction. If they had replaced some of the trees and shrubs and placed them in front of the fence that would've helped save it. And replacing them also would break up the appearance. Maybe that is in their schedule at some future time but leaving it until later has not helped the situation.

Within 6-8 months some of the panels were moving, also some of the brickwork too. Cement and concrete foundations became broken too. This resulted in some wooden stakes being driven into the ground. And that saved some of the fence and strengthened it but I always felt temporarily.



And today I have been proven correct.



Between midday and 3pm I have seen panels sway backwards and forwards, eventually becoming detached. And then breaking altogether. One falling across my reasonably new and still growing shrubs and early showing of snowdrops and daffodills. Thankfully, some wooden canes saved them. But I do wonder when it comes to repairing the fence in approx 3 weeks how safe everything will be as some disruption to the border is bound to happen. And the need is there to replace what is broken or start from scratch. I feel the latter is more appropriate. I don't think it will happen. I want to say that we are fortunate that only two panels are broken but the pictures perhaps make the brickwork etc...look reasonably ok but it isn't.



As previously said, the aspect that bothers me more is losing so much greenery and opening the garden up as they have, wildlife has reduced because they no longer feel safe and if prove were needed, I suspect a dove has been lost to a sparrow hawk again because in the corner of the neighbours garden where one of these panels has been lost, I noticed loads of little feathers that I know to be the remains of a dove. We've lost privacy too. So have others that face onto their garden from another location. Looking around the gardens in my location, there is a block of four or five(this includes my own)that have lost their secluded design due to a lack of protection provided by trees and shrubbery only mine has been forced upon me and others have been directly or indirectly affected.

Of course when its all repaired things may be fine again and all this will seem ok but I will have to do all that I can to help the wildlife and see what shrubs I can plant to improve matters.

A final note(I posted pictures on an earlier entry)It crossed my mind that the conservatory that was built actually spoils their own view of their garden as unless they actually use it and so far that's been rare, all they are looking onto is the conservatory and the natural light from the garden is not reaching the house. It is pretty dark in there unless they put lights on. As big as it is with the furniture it seems quite cramped. Also, the kitchen which is to the left has a narrow field of vision so much of the garden is not visable and all they can see to the right is the side view of a conservatory.

A small extension might've been better or I think I would've taken the original window out(which they have)and installed patio doors giving a view and when required open the doors and step out. That was probably too simple.