For Want of a Fence

So the garden came through the June frost warning just fine. I always knew it would. Still, the forecasters managed to plant a nagging seed of doubt in my pea brain, setting off a panic. But all is well and all my plants are intact. If only I could say the same about some of the other features in my garden.

Notice my fence. Ugggh. It's barely standing. Look toward the back of they yard, and the fence isn't even there. I am doing my best to wait patiently for my neighbours to start and finish their plans for a backyard addition and new garage. As soon as the work is done, I'm putting in a new fence and making some landscaping changes to the yard.

I haven't planted any climbers on the fence because I keep expecting it to fall over at any second. This year, the raccoons have pushed aside one of the boards making it easy to get from yard to yard. A few years ago, an entire panel of boards did fall down. It was blown over by a strong wind. But the neighbours weren't interested in getting a new fence. So I kept finding ways to hold it together. Actually, let's give that credit to my father. A career as an electrician on big construction sites has left him with all sorts of materials that provide on-the-spot fence mending solutions. The man knows what he's doing. The fence has been standing for about nine years longer that I expected it too.

The bare fence facade leaves me aching for all sorts of climbers. Clematis, of which I have none (I know...I'm deprived), will be the first purchase. I also dream of a climbing rose or two. Once the garage is up, I intend to plant an ivy to cover the wall that will fill the existing hole in the fence. And dare I dream it? Might there be room for a wisteria.

I grimace at the thought of a large construction project such as that of my neighbours shattering the peace of my summer. But I have to keep my eye on the ultimate goal: the dream fence and all the climbers that come with it.