The last couple of days have seen stormy weather and high winds racing across Oxfordshire. We’ve already had our first ‘emergency’ call to repair a fence that’s blown down over the weekend.
But it doesn’t have to be all doom and gloom – January and February are the ideal months to get your fences sorted out. Now that your herbaceous plants have died back and climbers are ready to be pruned, you’ve got a short window of opportunity to work on your fences while minimising disturbance to your beds. Most spring bulbs aren’t through yet, overhanging trees and shrubs might need pruning and hedges are, for the most part, dormant. Added to that, the temperature is still relatively mild and the ground soft. Getting your boundaries organised at the beginning of the year will also make it easier for you should you decide to undertake any re-design or landscaping of your garden later in the year.
Here’s a quick checklist to see if you need to repair or replace your fence:
- Can you see any visible gaps, split or broken boards or panels?
- Can you push a post more than a couple of inches easily in any direction?
- Is the line at the top of your fence level or is it sagging anywhere?
- Have gaps appeared at the base of the fence where it has rotted?
- Does your fence move significantly in strong winds?
If you’re not sure that your fence will take another battering from winter weather and you want to avoid damage to your garden should it come down in high winds, then feel free to get in touch.
