Rustic Landscaping With a Split Rail

Measure the area to determine the required length of the horizontal split rails. Commercially prepared split rails range between 8 and 10 feet long. Decide how high to stack the rails and calculate the total number of rails needed. A typical corner fence four-rails-high needs a total of eight split rails.

Use the height calculation to choose the required height of the fence stakes or uprights, allowing at least 5 inches above the top rail. Calculate the number of split rail uprights needed for the project. A simple corner fence for landscaping requires six uprights, two for each end plus the corner uprights.

Purchase the split rails and uprights needed. Choose wood that won't rot easily. Oak, locust, walnut, butternut, and cedar make excellent split rails. If the required length is unavailable, choose the next longest uprights and split rail horizontal pieces and cut them to size with a handsaw.

Mark out the location of the split rail corner fence with twine. Using the longer split rails, begin stacking them along the twine with at least a 6 inch overlap at the inner corner. Once the fence is three rails high, place an upright on either side of each end and at the intersecting corner where the rail ends criss-cross. Continue adding rails until the desired height is reached.

Use fencing wire to tighten and secure the uprights to the fence rails. Begin at the bottom of the inner corner uprights. Loop wire around both uprights as tightly as possible. Use lineman's pliers to twist the loop tight until it bites into the uprights. Clip off the wire ends and make another loop at the top of the stakes. Repeat for each set of end uprights.

Plant climbing or trailing vines or flowers at the base of the split rail corner fence for a pretty rustic garden. Choose perennials such as black-eyed Susans, daylilies or coneflowers for a country effect. Low maintenance flowering vines such as climbing roses or clematis, add color to split rail structures and highlight the natural beauty of the wood.