Garden fences are part of many homes across the UK, yet they can sometimes feel like a distraction from all the blooms, shrubs and furniture that fill outdoor spaces. A fence can take away from carefully designed spaces or even feel imposing.
Since fences are an essential part of gardens, there is, thankfully, a simple way to improve their appearance. Gardening expert Alan Titchmarsh says simply painting fences in a specific shade can even make gardens feel bigger. He says that using paint in gardens is a “great way” to add colour and show off plants.
In his Gardening with Alan Titchmarsh video, he explained that whatever kind of timber fence you have, paint is “essential” to “promote its longevity”.
If you don’t do this, the fence can rot and become damaged. Alan acknowledged that there are far more paint shades on offer now than a few years ago, making it hard to know which shade to pick.
He said: “If you have a medium-sized garden, painting your fences a light colour gives the impression that your garden is bigger. The eye is drawn from the boundaries to the plants and features that contrast with it.”
Recommending specific colours, Alan added: “The safest option is medium or light grey. If you have a lot of foliage in your garden, these plants will really pop against the grey backdrop.
“If you want your fence to disappear behind shrubs or trees, the darker grey or black will turn it into a shadow.”
If you have walls in your garden, Alan suggested a slightly different approach to choosing a colour for them. He said that what you pick will depend on the style you are after and what the wall is made of.
Alan said: “Old-fashioned mellow brick walls make great backdrops for plants, and given the choice, I wouldn’t paint those.”
While if you have a newer brick wall, Alan admitted it can feel “oppressive”, so he would choose to paint them. He recommended lighter, neutral colours for brick walls.
The garden expert would also add a trellis to the wall so plants can grow up it, as they are “often much prettier” than a bare wall.
If you have a small brick wall or a courtyard wall, Alan suggested going a bit bolder and treating it as if it’s a feature wall. This could be with a bright colour or even a mural.
He added: “Be careful, and if you get it wrong, remember you can always add another coat of a more subtle colour.”