 Do Fence
Me In!
Ideas for homes or gardens
by Mary Lance
photography
by Al Rendon
Fences secure us, mark our boundaries,
give us a certain status and
protect our property, children, dogs
and livestock. Though fencing is
taken for granted, there’s no street in
American that doesn’t sport a variety of
fences, from the ubiquitous chain link to
the picturesque picket fence, to cedar, iron,
concrete, stone and even the living fence —
the privet hedge.
But, when building the fence, where
does the homeowner begin to choose the
right fence for his or her property? Start
with what you want the fence to be able to
do, advises landscape architect Ken Fowler
with Rialto Studio Inc. “The design of a
fence should have utility and beauty, but its
function is at the heart of the material you
choose,” says Fowler. For example, if you
want privacy, the solid fence makes sense — but if you would like folks to enjoy your
landscaping while affording protection,
then Fowler suggests see-through fencing
such as iron, a spaced wooden or ranch
wire fence.
“You can spend as little as $6 for a linear
foot to upward of a $100 a linear foot
and everywhere in between on a fence,”
says Fowler, who recently designed fencing
at the San Antonio Zoo for the whooping
cranes — a wire mesh fence so children are
ensured a good view of this endangered
big bird.
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