Here’s How to Do the Wooden Slat Garden Trend Right

The use of wood slatting isn’t anything new in garden design (in fact, we’ve got some pretty incredible examples and projects in our archives dating back to the 1950s) and yet we continue to see it implemented into landscaping design again and again. Where spacing out timber seems like a pretty simple task, there are definitely right and wrong ways of pulling off the look successfully. I reached out to four design firms who are lining up lathes in some exciting ways and they’re giving us the skinny on how to use slats for optimal design impact.

Morami Studio

When it comes to fencing, Morami Studio has a very intentional and delicate way of using the perimeter as an intentional point of view. Enclosures become an opportunity to create focal points that frame the view while working together with neighboring plantings. Lead Designer/Founder Morgan Ramirez explains, “The perimeter of the home or the property is actually incredibly important. Our gaze looks out horizontally and our instinct is to follow a line of movement. Fences and walls in landscape have infinite possibilities and, unlike interior architecture, are ever-changing due to the natural elements weathering them and even moving them.” In her recent project for Patagonia, The Straw Bale House, we can see how function never has to mean sacrificing the scenery. Ranirez’s notes:

Featured Project: The Straw Bale House has incredible views and while the clients desired a perimeter, the team at Morami did not want to obstruct the panorama views and used a slatted design to work with the needs of the client while still embracing the surroundings in a beautifully cohesive way.

Materials: Cedar has our heart for fencing, but we would love to see some alternative materials like hemp and straw waste which are readily available for interiors engineered for outdoor use.

Design Notes: Planting plans change and even fence patterns and styles change. Our process begins with believing it’s not just a fence, so it requires as much thought as all the other garden elements.

Nectar Landscape Design

If you’re looking to incorporate outdoor structures into the landscape design, Nectar Landscape proves that wood slatting can be stunning when it offers a rhythmic pattern that complements other materials in the project. On a recent project, a kid’s playhouse was incorporated into a decking area, which created both a confined space for play but also offered transparency and openness to the overall design. The team noted how the use of slats “created a peak-a-boo effect which is kind of fun, and the playhouse doesn’t end up looking stereotypically ‘kiddish’— It’s just part of the garden.”

Featured Project: Kids’ playhouse that wanted to feel semi-enclosed but still…