Your opinion on what to do with my fence :)

gilla.walmsley

I moved in a year ago to what was a barren, parched landscape of dead grass and have spent the last year focusing on getting the lawn healthy and slowly starting to create the beds and improve the soil (it was 80% stone and 20% soil!). Oh and I built a wildlife pond! (as yet unfinished aesthetically).

I'm now in a quandary with what to do about my fence and am canvassing opinion. All the way around my fence had been painted by the previous owner in Ronseal Silver Copse (which seems to be everywhere at the moment!). My new neighbours replaced their side on the right recently and I'm now undecided whether to paint it in Silver Copse to match the rest, or whether to leave it (in the knowledge that I need to replace my side and the back within the next couple of years).

I generally prefer the natural look in gardens, but what I do like about the paint is that the flowers show up so nicely against it (particularly white ones which I am especially fond of). I really can't work out what to do - should I keep the existing colour and paint the new fence, wait and change it all to natural like on the right, or wait and then stain it all a different colour (but which?). Would love to hear other's opinions on what they like with fences
  

Hostafan1

I'd do the whole thing black.

gilla.walmsley

Ooooooh I like that idea! 

BobTheGardener

Remember that you need your neighbour's permission before painting their fence on your side..

Kili

And.... if you paint it on your side the colour may well seep through on their side depending on how thick those panels are.

Nanny Beach

I was just about to say that Bob,as you are asking for opinions,mine is, don't paint fences at all, not a big one like that. You say you will be replacing the others at some point,by this time, it's highly likely you will be fed up with the silver.Different, with a small garden and the fence is an interesting feature.Yours is long, perhaps you would rather disguise it somewhat

BobTheGardener

That's the reason I mentioned it really, @Kili   Most folk won't be happy to see this on their new fence:

K67

Leave it and spend the money on climbing plants for it. If you plan to replace the rest later on you don't want climbers on it making it hard to change the panels.
I love grey fences but you have a lot of fence and it just looks very dominant.

gilla.walmsley

Yes I'm aware on permission and also about seepage as it happened to my sister! Thanks all, I really appreciate your opinions - Nanny Beach you're right, that's my concern - by the time I replace my side if it's all silver I bet I'll be fed up of it  / it'll be out of fashion by then. And I agree it dominates it, particularly when there's hardly anything in it yet.

I do tend to prefer the natural look, I suppose the only thing holding me back was just (a) flowers show up better against a grey or green fence and (b) I'm not keen on the "yellow" tone of the new fence - I tend to prefer a more weathered / natural look. Will it weather down? Or I'm wondering if a stain might help... ?

Thanks again, I live on my own so other's opinions are really helpful!

JoeX

Yeah just finish off the rest in silver copse and focus on that lovely pond

BobTheGardener

If you arrange white-flowered plants to be planted in front of dark-leaved shrubs, you'll be able to make them stand out. 

What I'm really saying (I think!) is that as soon as you get some trees, shrubs, climbers and perennials in, the fence will become much, much less obvious.