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When it comes to interior design and garden landscaping, there is simply no denying that the bones of a project are the most important factor. It’s all very well spending all your time thinking about fabrics, furniture and planting schemes, but the walls themselves need to be solid. For a garden, the walls are your fences; they are the line between your garden and the outside world, the very element that provides structure and security.
As with bricks and mortar, garden fences need to be sturdy, reliable, durable but also pleasing on the eye. They are an integral part of your landscaping choices, setting a backdrop against which trees, shrubs and flowers will blossom, or a focal point when you add in a pretty gate to transition to a new space. You wouldn’t skimp on the bricks that build your house, so why would you on the fence that shelters your garden?
Think of your fence choice as you would wallpaper or paint; a fence does not simply need to be slats of wood, abridged with concrete or heavier wooden posts. Instead, it can have decorative flair and introduce a new element to complement the overall scheme. At least, that’s the approach at Charles & Ivy, a heritage British brand that supplies some of the most charming garden architecture in the business. The belief behind their designs is that they’re a way to bring some personality to your garden. We can all choose what to plant, border shapes and water features, so why do we give our fences and gates such an oversight?
There are more reasons to get on board with the growing trend; the high quality nature of Charles & Ivy’s fences and gates makes them very low maintenance. A standard fence is worn down quickly by bad weather and inevitable wood rot, needs restraining time and again and can be easily battered and distorted by high winds. That’s not the case with the durable composite used in the Charles & Ivy line up, which can withstand up to 15 years of whatever the British weather throws at them, without ever needing a paint touch up. In fact, they’re so able to withstand the elements that they’re weatherproof from -40 to 50 degrees celsius, meaning you could have them in a garden in Siberia or the Saudi desert alike and not need to worry.
This year, Charles & Ivy has extended its range – which is all housed in a UK distribution centre, meaning it always arrives within 7 days of an order and is delivered by Charles & Ivy’s own fleet – to include five new colours to complement any garden and a range of creative new designs for that flair that they bring. The gates that correspond to the fencing options are every bit as strong and stylish, fitting seamlessly into the scheme and providing both peace and peace of mind.
If, like the founders of the brand, you’ve always found conventional fencing to be unremarkable, dull and annoying to maintain, then perhaps it’s time to switch teams and bring a little levity and a lot of longevity to your garden.
Be inspired and look for your new fencing at Charles & Ivy
