Cedar wood fencing

Hi guys,
I put some western cedar wood fencing up a few years ago (about 2/3 years ago). It used to have a combination of beautiful colours and has started greying over time. I have oiled it annually to help protect it. The fencing, aside from the greying looks a bit dirty and so my first question is are there any recommendations to clean it? I started attempting to get off the darker stains with a wire brush, but it started eating into the wood slightly and I wasn’t sure if the damage would be really bad for it.
Any recommendations about how I can bring back some of the natural original colours?

I’ve left a before and after photo to show difference, you can also see where it’s slightly more orange/fresb still on the left where we had a palm (assume this protected it slightly from the elements).
Would love any support/recommendations from those who know about this type of wood

 

Yes - a wire brush isn't a good idea, so that may have damaged the wood and allowed more weathering than would be normal. The shade from the planting may also be a factor as to the changing colour happening so quickly. Any wood will alter as it ages unless a specific product is used to alter that.
I don't know of anyone who cleans it as such, and it isn't particularly popular round here, but I pass a house which has it on a boundary, in conjunction with a gate, and it looks fine. It's certainly been there for several years, but is quite an open site, with very little vegetation around. An ordinary brush and some soapy water would be about the most suitable thing to use if you decide to clean it, as it wouldn't cause any damage.
You may just have to accept the colour or use a coloured stain to get a more uniform colour.

 

Unfortunately timber always changes colour as it weather's.
There was a big fashion around here of using cedar cladding on new buildings, but it seems to have stopped now, possibly due to the fact it never weather's well appearance wise.
It's really rustic looking and never stays It's original colour, no timber does.
Cedar is pretty soft and a wire brush will just roughnen up the surface.

 

Funny you should mention that @pete re the houses. I've seen a house locally being renovated and that's what they're doing in between the dormers etc.
There's another, very ,detached house along the main road which has been done top to bottom, and all the surrounding fencing is cedar battening. It'll be interesting to see what it's like in a few years.

 

Unfortunately it always looks like creosoted shiplap after a few years.
Often they fix it with ordinary fixings rather than stainless steel and you get the dark staining running right down the length of it all.

 

The positive is that it will stay like that for 'ever.' My father erected an Alton greenhouse in cedar in 1960 and it remains standing without any maintenance to the timber .. In your situation, you can use the fence as a backdrop to planting, knowing whatever you choose will not outlast the fence, nor need to be cut back for further coating/replacement .

 

Have a look at Osmo products they have wood reviver products & might have something suitable

 

I've got some 20 year old cedar Adirondack chairs which I used to clean annually with Cuprinol Garden Furniture Restorer, followed by a neutral garden furniture oil. The restorer is a gel which works well if you follow the instructions carefully, it's hard work and messy! The chairs always looked brand new after the treatment. I got fed up doing this every year and last year resorted to a coloured paint which claims to last for 5 years!

 

I think it looks better now that it's aged some.