I am working on a garden cake for next weekend. (50) people. I would like to use fondant, I have never worked with it, but I think I can...I think I can...

Anyway the cake is going to be green with a white picket fence around it, and some other decorations. (birdhouse, gloves, seed packets..) those I'm doing with gumpaste. However I'm not sure how to do the fence. it will only be half way up the bottom layer so it will be supported. I would like two horizontal strips (like the wood) and then the picket fence on top. How would I do that?

I did one and it was easy to do. I just freehand cut the picket fence shapes from straight fondant and used a veining tool to make the grain. I just attached with water then came back and cut cross pieces. It was really easy. I would point you to my picture but it was really late, I was in a hurry and completely forgot to take a picture. I loved that cake and intended to use it in a print ad so completely bummed I didn't get a picture.

you can do it! I used fondant with a little Tylose powder or you can stiffen it up with gum paste if you have that too.
I just posted a barn yard cake (in my photos) that had a single rail fence on it. Its easy to do free hand.

Gum paste dries harder more quickly than fondant. I use that for anything that needs to stand up. I use the Wilton pre made gum paste. You can roll it really thin too. And like I said, it dries quickly. I use gum paste for decor that more than likely won't be eaten.