Looking for garden fence ideas? With summer in full swing, we're taking the opportunity to revamp these stalwart garden features.
A huge number of garden ideas involve fences, but you don't have to stick to traditional wooden styles – there are plenty of ways to zhuzh them up, whether you're hoping to hide an ugly fence or give existing panels a freshen up.
Below, you'll find our favourite garden fence ideas right now – from quick fixes to DIY projects.
If you have wooden fence panels, one of the best ways to freshen up your garden fence ideas is by staining them.
A wood stain can enrich the look of your fence, and many products provide weatherproof protection, too, like Ronseal's One Coat Fence Life from Amazon.
'A simple coat of wood preserver like a stain can help protect the timber and give it a new lease of life,' says Michael Rolland, managing director of The Paint Shed.
Garden paint ideas like this really make flowers and foliage pop, and it’s a brilliant way to add ambience to a garden border, especially with a few stake lights lining the way.
Sophie's mum used Protek Wood Stain & Protect in Ebony, which you can buy from Amazon.
With a few vertical planting methods and living wall ideas, a fence is the ideal place to make the most of space – especially if you’re looking for small garden ideas.
‘You can attach planters, hanging pots or even a trellis to a solid panel and grow climbers like jasmine, clematis or even strawberries,’ says Henry Barker, design lead at Sona.
‘It’s a great way to soften the look of plain fencing and make your garden feel more lush, especially in urban spaces where planting space is limited. Plus, it’s easy to switch out plants seasonally.’
Fence toppers are available in a range of styles, from lattices to trellises. They can really boost the aesthetic appeal of regular garden fences.
'First and foremost, they can cost-effectively address a lack of privacy by adapting the fence you already have,' says Armstrong Cheshire's fence expert, Simon Wardle. 'However, the fence must remain under the 6ft legal height – unless you seek planning permission.
Training fast-growing climbing plants along your fence is a brilliant way to add some interest, and if you've got an openwork fence topper, the plants can fill in the gaps for added privacy.
The options are endless when choosing which climbing plants to grow along your fence, whether you learn how to grow jasmine (and you can buy a star jasmine plant from Gardening Express) or clematis.
‘Don't forget about morning glory (Ipomoea purpurea),’ says Monique Gudgeon, garden director at Sculpture by the Lakes. 'This stunning twining plant produces great trumpet-shaped flowers of the bluest shade, which appear every morning. In the sunniest position, it will quickly cover trellises, fences or arbours.
'Seeds are easily bought from garden centres and you can treat them in much the same way as sweet peas.’