Garden gate idea will it work?

[Jared77]

I'm going to fence the new garden plot this year time permitting.

Anyway I was going to put a post on each end so the fence isn't compromised & gate has plenty of strength. So doing this I realized. I could sink a taller post on each side, then sink additional posts in front of them & make a trellis that goes over the gate. Kind I a gateway to the garden.

The question is if the gate & trellis are on the south side of the garden (since the garden is north of the house) I'm wondering if it's going to cast a shadow on the garden.

I'm just kicking this idea around but I'm looking to do a climbing rose/clematis combo on the trellis if it won't cast shade.

Figured I wasn't the first to try this but I don't want to do the work & investment if it's going to be an issue.

Thanks for your opinions/thoughts on this friends

 

[ninnymary]

Jared, I would think that you may get shade after about 2:00. Perhaps you could plant things that could take that amount of shade? But it does give you at least 6 hrs. of sun.

Mary

 

[Ridgerunner]

It took a bit, but I think I understand. I’m slow today. I don’t think you’ll get enough shade for it to be an issue but I’m not sure how wide your trellis will be.

How heavy will your gate be? It might be a good idea to put an additional post in line with the one supporting the gate and brace the gate post back to that. Do a search on corner posts in fences to see possible bracing patterns. Otherwise the weight of the gate will likely cause your post to lean. Or maybe you are incorporating that in your trellis idea?

 

[NwMtGardener]

I think it sorta depends on how close the plants in the garden are to the gate and trellis - if i understand the design right. When you walk inside the gate are the plants RIGHT there? If they are, maybe those close ones would be shaded a little. You could arrange for something that's not bothered by partial shade to be there.

 

[so lucky]

My garden gate just has a simple trellis of 2 by 4s, just a frame for the gate, really, with a brace on each side at the top, about 7 feet high. I planted morning glories there the first year and they reseeded last year. No problem with shading the veggies. I think they appreciate a bit of shade on a hot summer afternoon.

 

[journey11]

I don't think it will make too much shade. Like Mary said, depending on how open the site is to begin with, you should still get at least 6 hours of sun over that small patch that will be affected. You could even take advantage of the little patch of shade to plant lettuce, peas, flowers, stuff that will take it happily.

Also, placing your extra two posts outward from the main part of the garden will back that shade off a little. If you plant only one or two vines per side, you can probably even keep it as filtered shade with some light pruning.

This is a gate we built in Sept. of 2010. Although there are a couple things I would do differently now, over three years later it still isn't sagging at all. I think the brace across the top is the reason why. It keeps the two posts from moving inward. The diagonal cross braces in each half of the gate also keep the gate doors from sagging downward.

I take it yours would be something similar, except two more posts on out and something like a pergola on top, lattice sides, etc.? The main thing I would have done differently on mine would be to make an H-brace on either side of each post where the fence runs. It is supposed to be the strongest setup and then it wouldn't budge at all I'm sure. You would want to H-brace between your first and second set of posts as well, where your plants would trellis, to keep it from moving in the other direction. That may be a little overkill, but you'd know for sure it wouldn't go anywhere.

My posts are sunk two feet deep, but if it's something really top heavy, it's recommended you sink the posts half as deep as the whole thing is tall. Ex...an 8 foot high pergola should have posts sunk 4 foot deep. That's a lot of digging though!

I think your idea will look awesome and make a nice entryway to your garden. I can't wait to see how it comes out!

ETA: Here's a helpful article on the hows and whys of the H-brace.

 

[thistlebloom]

Jared, at your latitude I don't think shade will be an issue at all during the growing season. Even the north sides of buildings get 3 hours of sun here every morning.

 

[lesa]

I have seen the trellis idea within the gate- it looks great. Like the entrance to a secret garden. My only tip, is to make sure your wheelbarrow (or any other equipment you use in the garden) will fit easily through the gate. Wish I had allowed a little more room for mine...

 

[thistlebloom]

Ditto Lesas suggestion. My wheelbarrow fits, but if I have a load hanging off the sides a bit it's very annoying to have the
debris pulled off as I wheelbarrow through the gate.

 

[Jared77]

Sorry I've been slacking on this. Best way to describe it would be a small pergola.

I hope my VERY crude finger doodles help explain what I'm thinking of. I was going to use 4"x4"x12' (so I could sink them 4' stability) posts then a sheet of 4'x8' lattice for my climbers, then put 2"x4"s over the lattice to dress it up & make it look finished.

Good to know about the H braces. I'll definitely incorporate them into the design. I figured a 6' gate would be plenty of space. I had thought of doing 2, 3' gates like what Journey posted.

Was also going to bury a piece of 3" wide PVC pipe with cement in it & a piece of conduit or skinny PVC pipe to make an insert for a drop pin on the 1 gate to help hold them in place, plus a normal latch so that way if I only want to open 1 side I can.

I appreciate the suggestions as far as shadows go. As you can see it's a bit of an ambitious project but once built will be a real center piece. It's something I've been kicking around since we bought the place.