Maintenance Plans

I've started to plan for the spring. This coming season I have a lot of garden maintenance to take care of. 

The bamboo panels in the fence are starting to collapse in places. In some cases they have been up seven years. Being split bamboo, they are held together with very flimsy metal wire. Unprotected, these metal wires are rusting and breaking. Additionally, the panels have been bowing. Along the east end of the garden, they have taken a beating these last two winters from wind. 

It now appears that its time to replace them. However, this time around I will use 3/4 inch diameter bamboo fencing. 

When I designed the fence, I did so in a way that could accommodate larger bamboo or 3/4 inch wooden cedar boards. I still like the idea of bamboo, so I can easily purchase eight 8 foot sections online for about $550, including free shipping. I will start with a single panel and then see how it looks before I purchase the remaining 7 panles.

I am also starting the planning stage of the doors for the Woodland Gate. When I constructed the gate this last summer, I knew I would eventually want to include doors. However, I didn't want heavy doors like I placed elsewhere in the Zen garden.

Instead, I wanted more of a Sukiya style set of doors. I had seen several types over the last year and looked elsewhere on line for examples. Below are some doors I have come across that I like:

Below is a doctored photo of my own gate with the style I liked the best (from the image directly above):

Note: this is a doctored photo

My plan is to build a cedar frame this spring and use 1 inch diameter bamboo poles on the front side of each, ensuring that it continues to offer a more open style even when closed. 

Eventually, when the shrubs grow large enough, the doors and plantings should act as an attractive barrier. 

Note: this is a doctored photo

Given that the wood lot behind the gate is not my property, it should alleviate any fears of my neighbor that I am entering his property, while allowing me to create the appearance of a gateway that also provides a sense of security.