The white picket fence is so simple—a few slats affixed to horizontal rails, a gate or two—as to invite endless interpretation. But maybe we should retire the pickets as metaphor and let them ...

Both have potential durability issues; vertical fences are more prone to rot if the picket end grain isn't carefully ...

Picket fences are great for decoration ... Passers-by will be able to see through the slats too. So consider climbing plants to cover a fence if you'd like to block the view in an elegant way.