The boundaries of a garden are sometimes marked with statuary or large fountains, however for small gardens it is usually with a fence. Whichever way we turn the vista is closed by a wall or fence, and whatever expedients you utilize to make these artificial frontiers inconspicuous - whether by growing greenery over them or trees and shrubs against them - you cannot entirely keep them out of sight.

By adopting a rectilinear treatment you can harmonize them with the garden lines, but that will not help you much if the fence itself is an eyesore. If you are a suburban gardener, very often you have to take things as you find them. If you build your own house, then you can take control of the garden situation and include it in your plans.

A fence is a sort of wall, and while all walls are much alike, it is worthwhile to make the wall high enough to permit growing vines upon it when it receives full sun. A height of six feet in most cases would be sufficient for the purpose.

There are two factors you have to consider in a fence - appearance and durability. The former implies both the design and the surface, while the latter refers to the material. Of the woods available, oak is unquestionably the best for a fence, not only on account of its long life under all conditions of weather, but on the score of appearance.

It should not be painted or its charm of color will be destroyed. Who has not seen and admired the pearly grays and opalescent tints of an ancient park fence, and noticed how it harmonized with the natural growth around it? There is nothing that accords more with flower and foliage than the weathered surface of an old oak fence.

If the palings of the fence are cleft, so as to show the natural figure of the wood, the effect will be better and the fence will last longer. Under ordinary circumstances, a height of five feet is sufficient. However, with open country around, and no likelihood of intruders, less height is better.

This is especially true if there is an attractive landscape beyond. The character of the immediate environment should determine both the height of the fence and the design, which may be open, closed or a combination of both.

The construction should be simple, because elaborate fencework is likely to steal attention and to detract from the beauty of the flowers. The practice of allowing the posts to stand above the top line of the fence, breaking the skyline, is a good one. The many fence designs that are available should be sufficient guides as to the type of fence best suited for a small garden. The closed pattern has sawn oak posts and arris rails and cleft pales.

If shaped at the top between the posts, this improves its appearance. The "windowed" pattern is an adaptation of the park fence, by the addition of raised heads to the posts and a more substantial top rail. The latter should be "weathered" to throw off the rain.

The half-open fence with lattice top is the perfect object to grow creepers. Paled fences should always have a plinth board to protect the lower end of the pales from moisture, and to act as a barrier against burrowing animals. Oak fences should be put together with copper or galvanized nails because ordinary iron nails cause unsightly, inky stains.

If you cannot afford the cost of oak, you could use pine or other boarding for the pales of the fence, but you certainly should have oak posts and plinth boards. You can omit the boards if you stop the pales just clear of the ground. The pales will need painting either with a tar solution (a preparation of Stockholm tar, not coal tar) or with good oil paint.

If you use oil paint, the color is important. It is difficult to select a tint that harmonizes well with flowers and foliage. Perhaps the best is a subdued green of a sagey tint. One disadvantage of painted fences is that the paint has to be renewed from time to time, and that involves the temporary removal of creepers and other plants which may have been trained over them.