There are the obvious factors when making decisions about what type of wood fences to install. Considerations such as the cost of different types of wood, the type of climate and insects in Ottawa could have impact on the durability and maintenance of your fence, and the types of treatments, stains and paints available. These are all of the utmost importance and should always be first and foremost when choosing a fence. But what if you were looking for an extra special something to help you decide what type of wood fence to build?
Well, here’s a different twist; why not also consider the spiritual symbolism attached to the trees that provide wood for fences. It’s not uncommon to attach meaning to colours or patterns, or the specific placement of objects (feng shui) so it’s not such a stretch to take a similar approach for your wood fence project (even Harry Potter’s wand was made of a specific wood for a reason).
Think of your wood fence as a protective circle (or more accurately a square or rectangle) around your family’s home and take a moment to discover the symbolism attached to different types of trees to choose one that best aligns with your family’s style, values and aspirations.
There are many origins for the meaning behind trees, each rooted (pun intended) in different ancient cultures but especially prominent in aboriginal and Celtic lore. For our purposes, let’s focus on the mysticism of trees according to ancient Celtic tribes.
Before we start, let’s agree that the more practical factors for selecting wood (listed in the first paragraph) are still of the utmost importance. For the reason, we will focus on the symbolism attached to trees that are among the most popular in the fence building industry: Cypress, Pine, Cedar, Redwood and Oak.
Cypress: signifies strength and adaptability (a good choice to honour our ability to survive hard Ottawa winters)
Pine: represents holiday celebrations and eternal life (a good tree if the main purpose of your yard is to host BBQs and family gatherings to create memories that will last a lifetime)
Cedar: embodies elements of healing and cleansing, and is associated with protection rituals (an apt choice for a yard featuring another symbol of healing and cleansing (water) in the form of a pool, hot tub, pond or fountain – not to mention a fence is essential to protect unsupervised children from these amenities)
Redwood: epitomizes ancient wisdom and longevity (perfect for wise grandparents who keep themselves young by filling their yard with active grandchildren)
Oak: symbolizes courage, strength, stability and power; the oak stands strong through all things (a great choice for a family that has survived some tough times and sticks together no matter what)
