As you can see from the above, these are very useful and versatile structures. You might choose to construct them for a range of reasons around your homestead. Which Wood To Choose If you want a traditionally clean, smooth finish to your wattle fence, clip off all side shoots and branches from your selected pieces. Traditional wattle uses one branch with no offshoots per weave. I prefer to move as fast as I can with the limited time and resources I have and just get the job done as well as I’m able. Hence, you will see from my photos that I use pretty much every size branch I find. I also allow my main branches to keep their side-shoots as long as their sturdy and unbroken. Not all wood is created equal when it comes to wattle fencing. You want a wood that will stand up to age and weather without becoming too brittle. If you only need your cheap garden fence to stand up for the growing season, you can pretty much use whatever you want. Once you’re done with the temporary fencing, dismantle it and toss it into your hugelkultur beds. To learn about building a hugelkultur garden, please visit this link from Joybilee Farm. It is best to choose green, freshly cut wood, which will be pliable and more easy to weave through your structure. Making Design Decisions Some of my favorite wattle wood comes from fruit trees. If you have fruit trees to prune every spring, don’t waste them in the wood chipper! Use them to make wattle for not only a cheap garden fence, but also a beautiful one. Fruit wood is durable and supple.

Wattle fence hurdles made of hazel wood. Fencing materials can be found on www.arksupplies.co.uk. Wattle Cover Garden or Pool (refer to “view full specs” link below for pool compliance specification in each state) Plum or cherry wood has a deep color that is just so lovely to see in a wattle fence. Part of the appeal of these fences, apart from their frugality, is their beauty. Beauty is not an afterthought in the garden! Beauty is a large part of why we garden at all. I appreciate it when something is both functional and beautiful. Wattle Wood for a Cheap Garden Fence

Remember, each time you place a new weaving branch, you MUST follow the pattern of behind-in-front-behind-in-front. This pattern is what provides strength for your garden fence. As well as deciding which type of wood or woods to use, you will also have to make a number of other decisions. Before you even start preparing to build your fence, it will be crucial for you to make a number of design decisions. The plant needs to be able to rejuvenate and regrow. If you take too much from it, you can cripple it’s ability to recover. Having said that, however, most of these woods appreciate a good pruning now and then. It will actually help them grow stronger, straighter and better. In fact, a healthy willow is SO vigorous, it may not even notice you’ve taken anything at all! Wattle always works particularly well in rustic, cottage style gardens and Victorian themed kitchen gardens. You can use it in a number of ways, including support structures for squash, courgettes, and pumpkins.

The “uprights” need to be made from older, heavier wood. I use half-split hazel stakes around 3–4 inches in diameter, sharpened at one end to make a point. As an example: for a three-foot fence, you need around a 4 to 4.5-foot stake. Despite its age, today the wattle fence remains a popular choice amongst gardeners and small farmers, because it is a versatile, environmentally friendly and fencing solution. We are delighted with the fence and much enjoyed watching the creation and having you around." Clare, Wetheringsett Incidentally, most of what you’ll find on wattle fencing if you do online research will be from the UK. The accents are fun AND they know what they’re talking about. Wattle is in their blood, so to speak. Their serf ancestors were using wattle in the days of the Norman kings.You should also consider how ‘rustic’ you would like your fencing to look. Personally, I like the rustic look. I therefore decided to keep the bark on, and use a range of different wood types. If you prefer a neater and more streamline look, you may prefer to remove the bark and/or opt for just one or two wood types. You may also look for greater uniformity in the branches that you choose. A Step By Step Guide To Building Your Wattle Fence A community garden I volunteered at had a living arch of willow that they’d designed entirely on accident. That is, they thought the willow was completely dead but after a year of the arch being in place, they noticed it had sprouted leaves in spots. Now they have to prune their very much alive willow arch every year. Hazel or Other Nut Wood Whichever wood you choose, the stakes (sometimes called sales), or uprights, should be strong. Hard wood is usually a better choice. Note that if you choose to use willow for the uprights, the cut stakes will live on, re-root and grow. You will need to trim them each year to keep your ‘fedge’ in shape.

So glad it was helpful, Valerie! Yes, always save apple wood, I say – it’s bound to be useful for something. Dogs can be such a nuisance in the garden, can’t they. Our Great Pyr has sixteen acres he could dig in but he wants to dig in my herb beds. We actually put hot wire on our wattle fence this year to train him out of the habit of getting in there. Pyrs can be SO super stubborn! A perfect fit for my project to make a magical fairy garden for my granddaughters. I have a lovely maple tree with a carpet of moss beneath.

Treating your Wattle Fence

That sounds wonderfully delightful! Let me know how the sweet gum works, if you think about it next season. And let me know if you have any questions as you go – I’m happy to help, if I can. A classic piece of garden infrastructure, the wattle fence has been used for centuries to contain areas and animals. A popular ingredient in Victorian style gardens, this ancient form of fencing utilizes natural materials, in particular the saplings of pliable, native trees such as willows, to create a sturdy and elegant barrier. Deprecated: Array and string offset access syntax with curly braces is deprecated in /home/parsons/public_html/wp-content/themes/djtheme/lib/includes/lessc.inc.php on line 2484 Select your uprights and tap these into the wooden jig with a mallet. All uprights should be straight and spaced evenly apart. After reaching the end of the structure, return to the start and repeat the process weaving another layer of 6 to 8 saplings for the length of the entire structure. Continue to repeat this process until you reach the desired height for your structure. Aim to leave roughly an inch and a half between the top of the panel and the top of the upright.

Split hazel hurdles are renowned for their durability and strength, thanks to their larger diameter rods that are split in half to reveal distinctive wood grain that ages beautifully over time. The striking contrast between the natural bark and the smooth inner wood in the weave creates a unique and eye-catching fence. Each of our meticulously crafted hurdles tells a story through the artisanal workmanship that goes into every piece. Unless you already own them, power tools will not usually be required for this simple garden project. 1. Mark Out the Position of Your Fence We offer a wide variety of colours through the Dulux® Duralloy® powdercoat range of premium powdercoating that meets AS7315 and AAMA 2603 standards. Using your line as a guide, measure and mark every 8 inches, starting on the left end. Use a small post auger to make a hole in the soil at every marker, around 8 inches deep. Be sure to follow good foraging rules, especially if you’re on someone else’s land. Regardless of where you are, the plants will appreciate you not being greedy with what they provide. Never harvest more than 1/4 to 1/3 of the serviceable branches.

Truly handmade - a design perfected and unchanged in a thousand years

The best part about this cheap garden fence is that it can be made from materials you may already have lying around your land. Or, you can forage for the wood you need. Nothing is cheaper than FREE!! A continuous weave wattle fence with an oak framed gate that contains a hazel weave infill. The hazel rods have been split with the grain as opposed to sawn, thus retaining its inherent strength and therefore creating a denser fence. Video below on how to cleft a sapling. By Tim Radford. Go to burwashwonderwood.comto see more. Rustic Wattle Fence The nature of the installation means that the fence can be fitted to your garden – it can curve up, or down, and doesn’t need to be in a straight line. We can make the fence to any height up to 8′. Upload a photo / attachment to this comment (PNG, JPG, GIF - 6 MB Max File Size): (Allowed file types: jpg, gif, png, maximum file size: 6MB.