A bicycle fence

Gardening season is upon us, and Chad and I have been enjoying our first season in our garden.  We've put a lot of work into installing raised beds, planting seeds, and watching our little plants grow. 

Since our vegetables are in their infancy and therefore very delicate, we've been trying to keep Lexi and other furry creatures out of the beds to avoid trampling.  None of our methods, to date, have worked, so we're going to build a fence around the beds- something small and not too tall, but enough of a separation to delineate the space.  We have some parameters, of course.  First, we have a very small budget for this project, and conventional fencing supplies seem to add up in a hurry.  Second, I would love something that upcycles a material otherwise destined for a landfill.  I also want something that is aesthetically pleasing and has meaning for us, something kind of funky and personal, something not mass produced.... something involving bicycles!  Last summer while on a bike tour of the San Juans, I spotted this fence at the Hub Community Bike Shop Cooperative in Bellingham: 
 

(photo from my own collection) 

  If you look closely, you'll see that there are three frames in the picture- one making a corner, welded to two frames which are welded together at the headtube.  Note also the wheels/ chainrings welded to the frame on the right.    I love that this is a low fence, just high enough to provide separation between garden space and other open space.  I also love that plants are growing all around it in a tangly fashion, spilling out between components. 

Here's another example of a fence featuring a more orderly juxtaposition of angular frames and round wheels.  This fence makes great use of aesthetically pleasing retro frames, and I dig the colors they chose.  I also really like the wood trim. Perhaps this style would be an option should we decide to replace the perimeter fence around our backyard.....  

(photo from Sandy Su's flickr photostream)

Here's another bike parts fence, this time with only round objects: 

(photo from Bandanamomaz' flickr photostream)

I really love this look.  Actually, I'm a little torn between mixing frames and wheels, or sticking with the beautiful curves allowed by the use of only wheels and chainrings.  Truthfully, the look of the fence will depend largely on the amount and types of scrap bike parts we can round up for our project.... so this can be a decision that unfolds circumstantially and organically (not unlike our garden).  

Finally, there is this gate which I  fell in love with upon first sighting:  

 (Photo from the Oaklahoma Bicycle Society). 

 The half-bicycles features in this gate give it a sense of movement- like the bikes are about to wheel right through the gate and continue on their adventures.

I can't wait to get started....