Picket Fence Progress

I am extremely happy to report that we made some really great progress on our picket fence. After deliberating, as I do, about the picket style, height and spacing- we finally landed on a design and got to work digging holes, securing posts and installing pickets!

We used pressure treated 1×4 for the pickets, 2×4 for the rails and 4×4’s for the posts. We couldn’t find premade pickets, so Matt bought 8 ft boards, cut them in half and then cut the points ( I think the angle is somewhere around 60 degrees) The posts are all set in place using cement. We still need to cut the posts down, stain everything white, and get hardware for the gates- but it’s getting there!

You will have to excuse the very messy yard 😉 We’ve got scaffolding up from wrapping up the resealing of the exterior (the rain, coupled with a busy month, has made it difficult to finish the final touch ups!) I really love the fence! We put in a double gate so we can still access the back yard with a vehicle and get the lawn mower through.

I need to decide on gate hardware. I need handles, as well as a latch, and I think I’ll also add a ground latch ( I don’t know what they’re called!) to keep one gate stationary. We used a “gate “kit” to build the gates, which essentially consists of 4 corner braces and hinges. It is supposed to keep the gates from sagging. We used it in our last house and were happy with it. You just purchase lumber, and cut it to size yourself. Matt made pretty quick work, and we just need to add a few finishing touches, and then finish the section on the other side of the house.

This is a total sidenote, but Matt added some cedar shingles into the gable of our little reclaimed storage shed, and I love how it looks!

I am planning to add flower beds all along the inside of the fence. I’ll plant them up with perennial flowers and shrubs. I plan to spread some perennial seed this fall for some inexpensive landscaping, and perhaps I’ll get a few bulbs in there too. We’ve had such beautiful weather, and it looks like it will continue, so I think I’ll have plenty of time to get to it…

Here is a little inspiration for the wild, cottage style garden I like.

source

This past weekend I completed my final 2 weddings of the season, and spent Saturday and Sunday at a local Market selling all the flowers! We are enjoying this extended season, and it’s so nice to have days in the 20’s. A HUGE improvement from last September!

I hope you had a great weekend. I am working on a little post update about our kitchen, and some of our organization, so I hope to get that out this week. Plus I am really hoping I can get back to making videos for youtube… but no promises 😉

-Miss Ash