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How to protect bottom of fence and plant climbers?

we have a poured concrete driveway. New fence has left gap between narrow garden bed and wooden base of colorbond fence - gap varies and fence is stepped. I know it’s not good to put soil Against the wooden base but need help to work out out how to manage the gap and be able to plant

some climbers

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Gardening

Planting and Growing

Landscaping

Fencing and Screening

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JacobZ

Hi @GRob,

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community, it is wonderful to have you with us.

If you scrape back some of the soil, do the blocks that are laid between the outside of the concrete, and the fence have cells in them like a besser block?

If so, then I don't see any reason that you couldn't simply scrape back some of the soil and plant your climbers in the cavities in the blocks. As long as there is soil beneath them, then anything planted in them should realistically just grow down through the block into the ground beneath.

It's also worth noting that the timbers beneath your fence are almost certainly H4 treated sleepers, which have no issue being in direct contact with soil, but they seem to be utilising the posts of your fence, so it wouldn't be ideal applying pressure to them by filling the void with anything like soil or stones.

My thinking is that as long as the plants are able to be planted where the blocks are, then there is no real need to do anything to the little cavity against the fence. Having it open, you could simply go through and clear out any sticks or leaves that fall in there.

You could put something like wire mesh over the cavity, but I'm thinking that would just make it harder to tidy up.

Allow me to tag @Dave-1, @mich1972 and @twocutekelpies to see what they think.

Please feel free to add any thoughts or further questions.

Jacob

Dave-1

Good Evening @GRob

I am hoping that @JacobZ's suggestion is right :) If not I do have an idea of what you could do instead tho its not a direct planting into the ground.

If the blocks are solid concrete, you could effectivly build a long narrow deck style cover over the gap plus the concrete filled blocks. This way you wont have pressure on the fence and the water can still drain freely. You can then have pots sitting on the "deck"

You could use H3 timber as the joists and sit them on the concrete blocks, canterleaver them out over the gap.

Dave

GRob

thanks both for the advice - I think @JacobZ may be the way to go and just leave the gap but am a bit worried about soil and other debris falling down into the gap - it’s hard to get in and clear it out but I can’t see my self being able to do the deck thing ! Mesh might be the way to go - the gap just doesn t look very nice.

Dave-1

Afternoon @GRob

I was just at Bunnings :) and saw some Chunky decorative stone work (white and black) that could work instead of the gap.

Dave

GRob

Could you link it ? Thanks

Dave-1

Afternoon @GRob

Couldnt rem the item name but found it :)

https://www.bunnings.com.au/tuscan-path-15kg-100-150mm-snow-white-decorative-pebble_p1014450

https://www.bunnings.com.au/tuscan-path-15kg-100-150mm-black-pebble_p1014437

Dave

EricL

Hello @GRob

Let me tag @Dave-1 to make them aware of your query. I'm not exactly sure what product Dave was referring to, we'll have to wait for him to verify what it is. In the meantime, have you considered putting in sleepers cut to size to cover the gap? That would be from the fence line to the edge of the actual driveway. I know you were intending to plant into the gap, but instead I suggest using potted plants to go on top of the sleepers.

Eric

Dave-1

Sorry @GRob

I thought I had replied but failed to post the info.

Dave

GRob

If I were to put the rock into the gap would that affect the fence ?

Dave-1

Good morning @GRob

As long as the rock isnt up against the fence as in using the fence as a wall it would be fine, if you filled the space so the rock was against the fence then there is an issue. Its one reason I suggested the larger stones as they have less chance of leaning on the panneling.

Dave

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