The weathered curves, knobbles and cracks of this rustic fence just make me want to run my hand over them. The verticals have obviously been somewhere else in their earlier working life and their rotten bases and fixing holes have been kept as part of their character. The chunky wooden stakes holding them to the horizontals are great. It’s got quite a heavy feel and look about it giving an air of longevity, solidity and reliability. It sits well in its surroundings in a yew thicket at NT Croome Court.

Using weathered timbers, whether they’ve been shaped beforehand (like the post here) or not (like the verticals), turns a fence, bench or pergola into a really attractive feature in its own right. Turning these everyday utilitarian structures into an art installation will bring another element of interest to the garden.

This photo was taken a few years ago now, I do hope that this fence is still there.