wrought iron Fence
Houses and wrought iron gates
Border guards
Latest options for enclosing and defining your yard are maintenance-free, attractive
We’re not sure good fences really make good neighbors, but they do add definition and curb appeal to a landscape.
And the options have grown in recent years, from wood to maintenance-free vinyl or no-rust aluminum versions with gates that close automatically. New colors are available, and the fences are made to look like wood or wrought iron. Homeowners are taking notice.
“It’s still kind of pricey,” said Chris Litchfield, president of Siena Fence Co. of Clifton Park, “but slowly it’s gaining ground.”
Here are some of the trends:
Around pools, people are choosing maintenance-free aluminum fencing that resembles wrought iron. The self-latching hardware is used for safety.
For privacy, maintenance-free vinyl is a top choice, with white being the most popular color. Each style of fence has a matching gate.
Wood, which is more affordable, is still a popular option.
Seating walls, pillars and columns are among the newer trends in wall designs, said Jerome Edmunds, partner/owner of Greenspire Landscaping in Ballston Spa.
Rather than a railing on a deck, a portion may instead include a seating wall in combination with plantings.
Materials for walls still involve pre-cast concrete blocks, but Edmunds said the colors and textures have changed. More earth tone colors are used.
“Textured or tumbled block looks more like Mother Nature created it, like it may have been around for a couple hundred years,” he said.
from timesunion.com
Armistice Day and wrought iron gates
Gates restored in time for Armistice Day
By Diana Henderson
A BEAUTIFUL pair of wrought iron gates have been painstakingly restored at a traditional Dorset forge and replaced in time for Armistice Day.
Unusually, the gates, which stand in Upton Country Park, Poole commemorate two soldiers who survived the carnage of the First World War.
Made in 1919 they were originally erected by William Llewellin, owner of Upton House until 1957, in gratitude at the return of both of his sons from the Great War.
An inscription on a small metal plaque fixed to the gate reads: “In thankfulness to God for the safe return from the Great War of his sons William Wigan Capt. 4th Battn. Dorset Regt. from India and Mesopotamia and John Jestyn M.C. Major 52nd Siege Battery from France. These Gates were erected by William Llewellin, Sheriff of Dorset. August 1919.”
Major Llewellin won his MC in 1917, became MP for Uxbridge in 1929 and was a Minister in Winston Churchill’s Second World War government before becoming Baron Llewellin in 1945.
The ornate scrolled gates stand at the north-west corner of the walled garden and took five weeks skilled work to restore.
“We stripped them back to the bare metal, coated them to prevent them rusting, completely redecorated and hung them,” said Giles. “I had to replace one or two of the scrolls.”
These are the oldest gates on the estate and he is also renovating some of the others. “I have done a few memorial benches, including one for the Rifle Brigade at Chepstow, at Verwood and Winton. They are commemorating the loss of someone,” he said.
“It’s quite nice to see something written where they survived.”
York Street : wrought iron fence
City installing fence on York Street
Jeff Heuchert
York Street business owners are getting the decorative fence along the commercial block’s green space they had petitioned for.
Stratford’s manager of parks and forestry Quin Malott said the fence, 42 inches high and made of a black heavy-duty aluminum – not wrought iron as the merchants had wanted – will be installed along the north edge of the green space that divides the street and parking lot sometime in November.
The push for the fence was led by former York Street business owner Susan Murar, who first suggested the idea to the city in the mid ’80s and then again in 2009, when she made a presentation to the city’s parks board.
At that time, Malott said the request was referred to city staff for review for future budgets, and that “it was just a matter of time before we had basically saved up enough money that we could honour the request.”
In addition to its aesthetic value, Murar and the more than 30 merchants who signed the petition this past summer, including some on Ontario Street, believe the fence addresses a serious safety hazard. She noted several of the owners have witnessed people almost falling off the north side of the space on more than one occasion.
Malott agreed the drop off on the green space could pose a problem.
“The three and a half foot drop at the back of the green space does warrant us to put a physical barrier there to (stop) anyone from falling.”
Murar said she has informed the merchants the fence is coming and they are all thrilled and believe their action, namely the petition, was the key factor in the fence getting approved.
“Everybody feels a real strong part of (the project). We definitely made it happen.”
Along with the fence, the work will also include rehabilitation of the west end of the green space, including levelling the ground and installing a small retaining wall. Total cost of the project is approximately $8,000.
from stratfordgazette.com
Covington Cemetery with new iron fence
Covington Cemetery 1 gets new iron fence
Covington Cemetery 1 is receiving a makeover.
By Christa Chautin
A decorative wrought iron fence is being installed at the cemetery, which is bounded by Kirkland, Florida, Columbia and the extension of Theard streets.
The cemetery’s fence is be an ornamental sight for Covington spectators during festivals and events as well as for residents whose loved ones are buried in the cemetery.
The project was started in 2003 under Mayor Keith Villere. Three phases have been completed and Phase 4 is under contract. All phases have been done by ARC Welding & Fabrication, Inc.
Phase 1 of the project consisted of 425 linear feet of fence being installed on Columbia Street at a cost of $30,000 with about $32,790 in donations from ARC Welding. It was completed in the 2003-2004. Phase 2 consisted of 369 linear feet along Kirkland at a cost of $48,100 with a $2,000 donation from ARC. It was completed in 2006-2007. Phase 3 consisted of 401 linear feet along Florida Street at a cost of $57,350 with a $2,000 donation from ARC and was completed in 2007-2008.
Phase 4 consists of 178 linear feet along the Theard St. extension at a cost of $25,300 with a discount of $1,400 from ARC. This phase is in its final stages and is set to be completed this year.
When the project is completed, a donation has been pledged to the city to construct a monument or plaque acknowledging those who have contributed $500 or more to the project. A ceremony will be scheduled for these recognitions.
“This is a wonderful project that was initiated several years ago through the partnership of the Covington Civic Club and the City of Covington. It’s exciting to see such a beautiful result of community efforts,” said Pam Keller, Director of Downtown Economic Development.
from NOLA.COM
Beautiful quiet about working an early morning….with snow
Awfully pretty
By Jo Ann Allen
One of the nicest things about working an early morning shift is how quiet it can be outside. And when heavy, wet snow has fallen, it’s very pretty.
Today’s clinging snow was so beautiful at 4 a.m. that I didn’t want to get into the cab. I was tempted to walk to WHYY in the middle of the street.
Snow was hugging wrought iron fences, covering fire hydrants, bending trees and enhancing otherwise drab signs on stores.
It had built up on the top of U-S Mail boxes making them look like R2-D2 with skinny blue legs.
Even those disgusting Big Belly solar trash compactors — which I normally wouldn’t touch with a 10-foot pole — looked pristine in a blanket of snow.
Philadelphia seems to hang on to “the whiteness” longer than other urban centers. Snow blackens quite quickly in New York City and Chicago as gobs of people start trampling on it long before dawn.
But similar to other big cities once snow starts melting, the slush and yuck soon become small lakes and streams that give pedestrians pause, especially at street corners.
While not fond of winter weather, I do like the fact that snow tends to slow us down.
Regardless of what Punxsutawney Phil says next week, I’m sure there will be at least six more weeks of winter around these parts.
So, the next time heavy snow is forecast for overnight, try setting your alarm for 4 a.m., go outside and enjoy the breath taking peace and quiet — before the aggravation sets in.
