Robert Frost was quite wise to question the need for fences between neighbors in his metaphorical poem “Mending Wall“: “Before I built a wall I’d ask to know / What I was walling in or walling out / And to whom I was like to give offense.” It’s true that some of today’s design critics recognize our need to connect more now than ever (thank you smart phones!) and believe closing our homes in and off from each other is actually not so neighborly. Still, for us dog owners and for many in need of containing small children, fences can be quite necessary and even offer an opportunity to express a little DIY creativity. Just take a gander at the following fun and funky enclosures. Even Jack might admit he’d see their mending potential.

{Colored pencil fence} (top photo): who wouldn’t do a double-take with this beauty? The artist/art enthusiast spent thoughtful hours meticulously painting each board, even detailing the tips with sharpened precision. Jumpers might want to think twice before scaling these number 2s!

Chair parts, wood turnings and left-over boards. source: redtygr.blogspot.com

{Bits & pieces fence}: artist and blogger of The Rabbit Hole decided she needed to finally do something with a pile of leftover chair parts, wood turnings, and boards. Painted a uniforming color…I think this is quite charming and conscientiously green, figuratively and literally.

Racing stripes fence. source: hgtv.com

{Racing stripes fence}: this is definitely a “Why didn’t I think of that?” kind of moment. After all, paint is the easiest way to transform any space, even the backyard. With a neutral color splashed on to most of the boards, bring in just that pop of coordinating color (or two) and you have’ll have Bam! results.

Birdhouse fence. source: Pandorea, flickriver.com

{Birdhouse fence}: ornithologists will tweet about this multiplex for birds enclosure. For neighbors, the entertainment factor is high with bird watching made easy.

Shutter fence. source: cottageintheoaks.com

{Shutter fence}: Eastern North Carolina DIYers Daune and Keith of Cottage in the Oaks resourcefully repurposed shutters into a privacy fence to put the finishing touch on a recently created garden nook. Cementing in place 4 x 4 posts, they hinged together several shutters, then painted them a delightful French blue. Voici!

Have you built a fun or funky fence in your yard? Comment below!