Garden transformation is top of the agenda at this time of the year. If you are thinking about a garden makeover or revamp, imagine your space as a blank canvas ready to be transformed with new plants and design elements. There’s no shortage of garden transformation ideas on the internet, but for something a bit different our focus is on fencing. With the right contemporary fencing ideas, you can create a stylish and modern look, which will not only transform your garden’s design but also its functionality.
Read on to check out our nine contemporary fencing ideas that will help to bring the outside in, while keeping unwanted visitors out.
Contemporary fencing ideas
Transforming your garden does not have to cost the earth. You can mend and make do, or reuse and reformat items you already have. For others, perhaps it’s easier to purchase new items to transform your garden.
In this guide, we provide easy fencing-focused garden transformation ideas. These will include practical suggestions for improving your outdoor space without requiring extensive effort or gardening expertise. Examples include the uplifting effect of horizontal slat fencing or the use of bamboo as a fast-growing eco-friendly alternative to traditional fencing.
We will reveal how to:
- Integrate light to make the most of your garden
- Mix materials to give your garden texture and contemporary features
- Promote outdoor living
Let us start our contemporary fencing ideas list with the ever-popular bamboo.
1) Bamboo
Bamboo is a lightweight, yet sturdy alternative to traditional or classic fence panels. Bamboo’s rapid growth factor (in the right conditions, it can grow up to twenty feet in a week) makes bamboo screening a sustainable and attractive option. You can plant bamboo in front of fencing that is already in situ or between decorative metal fence panels to break up the view. What is more, bamboo will cover the panels and screen out your neighbours in no time. Bamboo can be easily found at local garden centres.
It is possible to treat bamboo like a hedge and cut it into shape, although the organic appearance of bamboo is what makes it so attractive. Bamboo hedges need a lot of water to grow and some maintenance to stop them from becoming infested with aphids, mealybugs, or worst of all, powder-post beetles.
With a little care plenty of water and some sunshine, bamboo will screen your garden and continue to grow, spread, and develop over time. There is nothing more relaxing than the sound of bamboo rustling in the wind.
2) Horizontal slat fencing
This is top of the list of contemporary fencing ideas; it looks great and can be used in creative ways to enhance your outdoor space. Slat fencing is perfect for smaller outside spaces as it changes the perspective, drawing the eye up and along to give an illusion of space.
Garden transformations often call for horizontal slat fences because of their versatility. If you need a fence that skirts the garden and covers a lot of unusual-shaped spaces, protrusions, odd sections, and gradients, then slatted fencing is your go-to. Horizontal slat fencing is often thought of as contemporary because it arrived on the scene much later than traditional or classic fence panels.
3) Integration of lighting
Transforming your garden into a usable space means incorporating lighting so you can make the most of long summer days and every bit of our precious daylight. There are lots of different types of garden lights and each has its place in a garden:
- Fairy lights – these pretty garden lights are just a decoration and cannot be used as proper lighting
- Solar lighting – there are many forms of solar lighting available from relatively small, shed lights to canopy garden lighting systems. You can even buy a cool box table with a lighting inset. Check out our garden lighting page here. For optimal charging, place solar lights in a sunny spot to ensure they shine bright as evening falls.
- Wired lighting – garden light that has been hardwired into your space is a professional’s job but one that can change your garden outlook forever
The garden lighting options are vast, but it is worth thinking about adding a firepit and even the humble candle (in a storm lantern) to add a magical element to your outdoor space.
4) Living fences
Garden transformation ideas must incorporate a living fence. One of the contemporary fencing ideas we have is to include a living fence or screen to support plant growth. A living fence also covers unsightly fence panels that may not fit into your ideas and garden theme.
Green walls provide privacy in small spaces and have a positive ecological impact on your immediate environment. Here is how you can easily create a living fence that will not break the bank:
- Create support - by using your existing timber fencing, trellis, or metal chain fencing
- Anchor the plants - by using pots and brackets or a lightweight felt or plastic living wall system
- Fill the pockets - or pot with suitable plants that last. Consider:
- Evergreens - like ivy and honeysuckle
- Flowering plants - such as campanula, cornflower, and geraniums
- Fruit-bearing plants - such as strawberries and tomatoes (in summer months)
- Using organic matter - from compost bins that enhances plant growth in your living fence, making your garden more environmentally friendly
- Water regularly - and remember this is a living fence and will require general plant maintenance
5) Metal fencing
Contemporary garden lovers will already be familiar with Nordsternpark, Gelsenkirchen in Germany, which effectively uses metal fencing. Developed on a former coal mine this ultra-modern garden is the epitome of contemporary design themes. Closer to home, the RHS Garden in Wisley, Surrey offers a modern design that incorporates metal and stone boundaries to highlight some areas and conceal others. Hanging baskets can also be used to soften the look of metal fencing.
The Barbican Conservatory in central London is a prime example of lush brutalism (a bold and rugged architectural style), proving that not all contemporary design needs to be bare, basic, or austere.
Modern metal fencing can be as unique or contemporary as you like. Include cutouts to give a unique focal point. Consider tempering the austerity of metal with a living wall or bamboo planting. The sound of bamboo against metal will be restful and stimulating depending on how the wind blows.
6) Mixing different materials
You can transform your garden by mixing and matching materials. Here is a list of suggestions that can produce a garden transformation on a budget:
- Wooden fence panels and glass bricks
- Metal fencing interspersed with bamboo or hedges
- Stone walls with wooden seating or framework
- Concrete and glass for the ultimate in contemporary boundaries
- Composite panels and wood for a modern take on a classic design
- Concrete, stone, and seashells for a nautical theme
- Plant pots for added colour and vibrancy, using summer-flowering bulbs or painting them for extra impact
By mixing materials, you are creating diversity that enables plants and animals to thrive. Not all gardens are the same and they should reflect you and your home. Mixing materials allows you to add some flair to your outside space and enjoy a garden transformation your way.
7) Privacy screens
Garden privacy screens are a fantastic way to blend functionality with contemporary design. They are an easy way to transform your garden and create garden rooms or places that you can screen off from view to serve a dual purpose. Sectioning off your outdoor environment while adding a modern contemporary touch. For effective privacy screen placement, consider seeking advice from garden designers.
Privacy screens can transform an open garden into a series of intimate spaces, Here is how:
- Focus – privacy screening can be used to draw the eye to a particular garden feature such as a sculpture, water feature or planting area. It is also true that screening can block out an unsightly view
- Seclusion – a well-placed privacy screen can create a garden space that is perfect for reading or working from home. You may want to screen unattractive areas like bin stores or protect your security with a barrier to your side or back gate
- Zoning – by placing privacy screens strategically, you can divide your garden into ‘zones’ for different purposes. For example, a dining area with a BBQ and a lounging area with mood lighting. Zoning creates a mood of intimacy and purpose in your outdoor space
Think about combining your privacy screening ideas with a living wall, this way you can increase the planting in your garden while protecting its privacy and security.
8) Using gravel boards
Gravel boards are also versatile for anyone installing wooden fencing, providing additional protection and aesthetic appeal.
While gravel boards are traditionally used for fence panel protection from ground moisture and wet soil, these handy bits of kit can be used in garden landscaping and repurposed in creative ways for decorative purposes. Why not consider all the following ideas?
- Garden edging - make a sturdy and attractive edging features for garden paths, flower beds or veg patches, helping to define areas within your outdoor space. Gravel boards are also compatible with wooden fence posts, providing a durable solution for garden edging
- Garden furniture - make great bench seating. Stack and secure your planks to create a simple seat or outdoor table. Think rustic bench seating around a fire pit or close to your BBQ as an extension to your home. Using gravel boards in combination with wooden posts can also help create durable garden furniture by preventing ground-line rot and decay
- Raised planters - create raised flower or vegetable beds using gravel boards (timber or concrete). They provide excellent drainage and can be built to fit the space you have within your garden layout
- Terracing - in sloped gardens or gardens on a hill, gravel boards can be used to create terraces or steps down the slope. These terraces can be planted with vines or shrubs adding interest to the landscape
- Vertical gardens - mount gravel boards on a wall or fence panel to support climbing plants or plant pockets with small potted plants attached to create a pleasure feature for patios or small outdoor spaces. For more ideas about vertical gardening, read this blog post
Use gravel boards to enhance your garden transformation project, especially if you have some leftovers from your fencing project. Nothing needs to be wasted in your garden, innovative ideas can turn a dull space into somewhere you want to spend time.
9) Vibrant colours
If during your garden transformation, you decide that your planting does not add enough colour you can add more colour and texture to your outside space. Methods include painting your fences, and garden planters. Consider using annual plants like wildflower seeds, begonias, geraniums, marigolds, pansies, petunias, snapdragons, and sweet peas to provide instant colour in your garden. Also consider adding interesting garden furniture.
Also consider adding garden buildings such as wooden gazebos, metal and glass awnings, fun playhouses, practical greenhouses and planters, along with cold frames, raised beds, compost bins and garden games.
For those who love climbing plants, we have a range of garden pergolas. The Forest Dining Wooden Garden Pergola Kit with Panels looks particularly good in a contemporary garden. Garden transformations are calling out to brave amateur gardeners and horticulturalists alike. Think about contemporary fencing ideas and transform your garden into a space you will not want to leave. A holiday at home is perfect for the British summer.
Final thoughts
With gardens and gardening being a hot topic right now, it’s great to get practical garden transformation ideas without the need to spend loads of cash. Using horizontal slat fencing as privacy screening or a living fence can define your space and bring the garden together. Add some solar lighting and a BBQ and you have the making of a summer garden party or relaxed supper venue. Incorporating low-maintenance elements, such as ground-covering plants or a 100% aluminium pergola, can make your garden transformation more practical. If you have a suitable space, you might as well make the most of it with nine contemporary fencing ideas to empower garden transformation.
Contact us
Call us today at 0333 003 0515 and chat with our expert team about your ideas. If it is not convenient to speak, you can alternatively email us using our user-friendly contact form. Our expert team at Buy Fencing Direct, are available to aid with your enquiries about garden transformation solutions and ideas. Finally, our live chat app is located at the lower-left corner of every page, use this for real-time support during working hours.