Bamboo is plentiful in Birmingham, Alabama. Can you believe that?! I lived in a house that was near unclaimed woods with all kinds of trees…and grass, like Bamboo. My children & i would wrestle dead bamboo out of the ground & drag it home (not drag, carry without effort, as it weighed nothing). I wanted to collect enough to make a fence like this one.

I found THIS fence at a Sweet Pea Garden shop located in Homewood, Alabama.

When i moved out of the house, i left the Bamboo behind. I was never able to make one. Nor do i know where one buys bamboo. But i do know where to find it (just a short drive to the old neighborhood). I need this fence because it’s happy. I need this fence because i have ugly 1970’s red brick for a wall (yes, i am super lucky to even own a wall) but i want to see this happy fence instead.

ok, i’ve never made one, but this is how i image it would go…(Autodictics can be dangerous)

step 1.  find or buy dead or dried bamboo (rip it from the earth, Alabamians!)

step 2. fill a bucket full of rocks/stones (or dirt, although maybe mud would hold better? i’d had a dash of water & stir it to the consistency of cement) & stick the bamboo in it. i would do this to hold the bamboo still in order to paint it. As moss may not grow on a rolling stone…neither would paint stick to a rolling cylinder…ugh, what a bloody mess that would be.

step 3. paint all the bamboo with white primer, like Kilz. let dry, maybe two coats? yeah, i would do two coats. when dry…

step 4. apply acrylic or oil based colored paints. i can buy samples of colors at lowes (if i had a lot of money). although, the color choices would be pretty tame. Or i can buy craft acrylic paint at an arts & crafts store, like Michaels or Hobby Lobby. I would paint as many coats of paint as needed, because i want the color to be strong. once it has dried well…

step 5. paint it with an oil based varnish (ugh, i so dislike oil based anything, it’s the clean up chemicals i hate), so that it will withstand the elements. Alabama has fall, winter, spring & hell.

step 6. i would lay down 2x4s horizontally (i would have someone cut the wood for me at lowes) and use super long screws & a drill…and drill the Bamboo, vertically, into the wood.

step 7. ….how would i make it stand up in my garden? I think i would dig a wee ditch and pour cement & stick the Bamboo into it. The bottom of the bamboo isn’t painted because it was in the bucket, remember? Or i could be lazy & lean it against a brick wall i already have, i’m pretty lazy…however, i’d want it to stay standing up for more than a day or so. cement trench it is.

step 8. i would then photograph & post my amazing fence on social media & shout out “I made this” (and i will! if it works.)

I love making stuff up as i go. Will this work? I’m sure it will. Will it hold? I’m pretty sure it would. Will it make me happy? Oh gosh, yes absolutly.

How do i think they made this fence? No idea…I don’t know how to build anything. BUT, i do remember making popsicle houses in Kindergarten. The same logic applies, only with power tools instead of glue. right?

wish me luck! and if you have a suggestion or three, please share it with me! And PLEASE, if you make one, i wanna see it! ~amy