This is a nice two tier system. The rock wall brings the grade up to yard level and the fence gives privacy. Recessing the stone wall and the fence allows for interesting plantings and breaks up the mass. In this particular case, the fence had been an older, taller, 6 foot, straight, vertical slat fence with dry rot in the bottom and tops of the slats. The slats were removed, the dry rot cut off both ends and then the shorter slats were re-nailed back onto a new frame. The lattice portion was added to the top to bring it back to the original height. There is still plenty of privacy since the yard is high up from the sidewalk. Add an arbor to the gate with a grape vine, some white paint courtesy of some high school age friends, and the result is beautiful landscaping for a private backyard.
