A garden has always needed to be fenced to keep wild and\ndomesticated animals from eating the plants. In fact the root of the English\nword garden refers to an enclosed (girded) area; one that was surrounded by a\nprotective barrier. Many religions talk about paradise as a garden and the word\nparadise is apparently derived from the Persian word for enclosure. Today that fence isn\u2019t just for security, it also\ngives privacy and helps to clearly define the property lines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fences, hedges and walls (for convenience sake I\u2019m just going to\nrefer to fences) perform a number of functions in the garden. Depending upon\nthe circumstances you might need them to do any of the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00b7 Their primary purpose\nis to provide a secure boundary, to keep dogs and children in and trespassers\n(animals and human) out. Depending upon the circumstances this may require an 8\nfoot high stone wall, or a few strands of wire. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00b7 It takes a lot of\nfence to surround a property, which makes it one of the most common and\nunifying visual elements in the garden. For this reason it is important that\nthe fences be attractive (or unobtrusive) and well thought out. In most cases\nthey should be made from local materials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00b7 Fences help to define\nthe boundaries and give shape to the framework of the garden. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00b7 Fences help to define\nspecial places by dividing the garden into separate \u201crooms\u201d for different\nactivities. . By enclosing a space you can completely change its character and\nfeel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00b7 By acting as screens\nthey can provide privacy and hide unsightly objects or unwanted views. They can\nalso obscure parts of the garden to create a sense of anticipation. Sometimes a\ngap may be purposely left in a wall or fence to emphasize a good view.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00b7 They direct traffic\nand control movement, by giving you an easy way to go and by preventing\nshortcuts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00b7 Walls (and fences and\nhedges to a lesser extent) create their own microclimate, by reducing wind and\ntrapping or blocking sun. The south facing side of a wall absorbs heat during\nthe day and creates a warm sun trap. The north facing side is in shade for most\nof the time (it can be used as the wall of a lean-to or storage shed).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00b7 Fences act as\nwindbreaks to provide shelter from strong winds. They can also be used to\nfunnel cooling winds to where you want them. As solid barriers they can divert\ncold air around the garden and prevent frost. They can also slow the movement\nof fire<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00b7 They provide support\nfor climbing plants (and make it easier to put netting over fruit).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00b7 They act as a\nbackdrop for plants and artwork. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00b7 They muffle unwanted\nnoise (walls and hedges are particularly good for this). <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00b7 They can give a\nfeeling of enclosure and security, a sense of being home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Planning the boundary fences<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n In small gardens the fences are largely pre-determined, in that\nthey go around the edge of the property. On a very large property you have to\ndecide how much area you want to enclose (your garden doesn\u2019t have to\nincorporate every square foot of your property). <\/p>\n\n\n\n Your choice of boundary material will depend upon your needs, your\nimagination, the style of house, the neighborhood where you live and what you\ncan afford. The most obvious choice is something that is traditional for your\nlocation. This helps to give your garden a regional feel and stops it looking\nlike you just bought it at Home Depot. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Your choice of boundary also depends upon what is outside (a great\nview, nosy neighbors, a psycho pit bull, street traffic, strong winds) and\nwhether you want to see it or pretend it isn\u2019t there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the city you may want a strong, relatively opaque barrier for\nprivacy or security. The most obvious choice is a solid fence but be careful: a\ntall solid fence surrounding a small garden can make it feel even smaller and\nmore confined (as well as shadier). <\/p>\n\n\n\n In the country privacy isn\u2019t as much of a concern, so fence are\noften more open. This is especially true if your surroundings are particularly\nbeautiful, in which case you will want to be able to see through it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In windy areas you may need the fence to act as a windbreak. This\nshould be semi-permeable so it doesn\u2019t cause too much turbulence (See\nWindbreaks). <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you want to fence your vegetable garden or growing beds, an\nopen fence works best as it creates less shade (in hot climates some plants may\neven appreciate the light shade they do create). In cooler areas the northern\nwall might be better closed, to provide shelter from cold winds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Height of fence<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The height of a fence is commonly related to the height of nearby buildings and the size of the garden it is enclosing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In traditional American gardens the fence in the front is lower\n(no higher than the window sills) than that in the back yard. They also tend to\nbe fairly open, because the front garden is often thought of as a display and\nthe fence is used to frame the composition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Back garden fences tend to be taller than front ones because this\narea is used like another room of the house, as a private place for family\nactivities. Not surprisingly it gets much more use than the front garden.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In heavily regulated areas 6 feet is often a maximum legal height\nfor a solid fence. An inexpensive way to increase the height above this is by\nfastening trellis to the top, or adding post extensions and wire. Vines can\nthen be trained up the fence. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Internal fences and room dividers <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Fences, walls and hedges can all be used for room dividers. They\ndon\u2019t need to be as strong or secure as boundary fences, so are often thinner\nand less substantial. It doesn\u2019t matter if you can see through it, or if they\nare high enough to obscure the view. All they really have to do is define the\nspace. In some cases the divider may be little more than a change in\nvegetation, or flooring. These often work best when they are fairly open, as\nthey don\u2019t cast as much shade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Dividing fences can be different heights, depending upon what you are trying to achieve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Knee\nhigh fences (up to 2 feet) give direction and define specific areas without\nactually being serious physical obstacles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n A waist\nheight (3 feet) fence acts to direct your movement, but doesn\u2019t cast too much\nshade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n A 4\nfeet tall fence (chest height) may be used to separate parts of the garden into\nrooms. <\/p>\n\n\n\n A fence\nyou can\u2019t see over (5\u2019 6\u201d – 6 feet tall) offers protection and privacy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Materials <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n It takes a lot of posts, rails, boards or wire (or stone or\nbushes) to go around the perimeter of a property, so this is usually one of the\nmost expensive parts of the garden. If you don\u2019t have much money you have to\nget creative and start looking for salvaged stuff. If this doesn\u2019t lead\nanywhere then plastic or wire netting is the cheapest fencing you can buy (it\nis also the most invisible). Wooden fencing can get quite expensive if you have\nto buy it new and it always seems to me like a waste of trees. Hedges are\nperhaps the most ecologically sound fencing and don\u2019t have to cost a lot if you\nraise your own plants. However they take several years to become effective and\nyou will need a temporary fence in the meantime. Walls are undoubtedly the most\ncostly barrier, but also the most durable; a well built wall should last longer\nthan you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The materials you choose for your boundaries should relate to the\nhouse in some way and help to unify the whole picture. This doesn\u2019t necessarily\nmean using the same materials, but rather making them complementary. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In general long perimeter fences tend to use inexpensive material\nbecause you need a lot of it. However a continuous length of a single material\ncan get monotonous, so it is common to use a variety of different materials.\nYou probably can\u2019t afford to fence the whole garden with expensive stone walls,\nwattle hurdles, or bamboo fencing, but you could put a section in the most\nvisible area, where it can really be appreciated. You could also have a\ncombination of different materials in separate sections (part wall, part fence,\npart hedge). At the same time don\u2019t use too many different materials, otherwise\nthings can get confusing. Change the materials where you want a different look\n(such as in different rooms), or in the corners or behind something. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Fences are the most common choice for boundaries in America, because they are quick and easy to build, don\u2019t take up much space and aren\u2019t too expensive (we have always had lots of forest). They are very versatile in that they can be solid and opaque, or open and transparent. Open fences have quite a different feel and use than closed fences. They don\u2019t cast as much shade, don\u2019t create frost dams or wind turbulence and tend to be more interesting visually. Solid barriers are better for privacy and can act as sun traps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fence designs tend to be fairly traditional and differ by region and\nwhat was readily available there. Certain styles have become are synonymous\nwith certain places (bamboo-Japan, wattle hurdles-England, white picket-New\nEngland, grape stakes-Northern California) and it\u2019s usually best to use a style\nand material that fits in with your location.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are a huge variety of fence materials and designs to choose\nfrom: woven willow, 1 x 8 boards, wooden pickets, wrought ironwork, split\nbamboo, corrugated metal and more. <\/p>\n\n\n\n I much prefer homemade fences to commercial ones, which tend to\nlook too uniform. Making them yourself also gives you a chance to be creative\nand make something unique. You don\u2019t have to make enough to surround your whole\ngarden, just put the handmade sections where they will most appreciated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fence color is something many gardeners don\u2019t think about. Dark\ncolors generally work best, as light colors get dirty and need more frequent\npainting. If you don\u2019t want to paint the whole fence; you could just color the\nposts or even just the post caps. I generally avoid painting fences because\nonce you do it, you need to re-paint every few years (remember Tom Sawyer).\nThis can be difficult if you have plants growing on it. Also painted wood can\u2019t\nbe recycled easily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Board fences<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The most common fences where I live are 1 x 8 Redwood or Cedar boards. In fact whole forests have been cut down to make good neighbors. The cheapest board fence I\u2019ve seen was made out or old pallets. The boards on one side were taken off and nailed on to the other side. If you can get hardwood pallets this could last a long time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you are building a board fence it\u2019s a good idea to raise the\nboards a couple of inches off the ground, so they don\u2019t stay wet and rot. If\nyou want the fence to go down to the ground (maybe to keep out pests), you can\nlay a single board horizontally along the bottom This is a bit of extra work,\nbut means that there is only one board in contact with the ground to rot, <\/p>\n\n\n\n It pays to watch out for when people are replacing their old\nfences, as they will usually be happy to give it away (you might also try\ncontacting a fencing contractor and offer to take an old fence away). These\nstill contain a lot of usable wood, already weathered to a nice silver gray.\nOften all you have to do is cut off the bottom few inches of rotten wood (so\nwhat if your fence is only 5 feet 6 inches tall?) You can even regain these\nlost inches by using a horizontal board across the bottom. <\/p>\n\n\n\n A solid fence will take a battering in high winds, so it must be\nsecurely built and anchored. You can make it into a more effective\nsemi-permeable windbreak by placing the boards on alternate sides of the rails.\nThis allows some wind to go through the fence (though it also makes it slightly\nless private).<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you are worried about security, put the rails on the inside of\nthe fence, so it harder to climb from the outside.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you are really worried about privacy (perhaps you are an urban\nnudist) you can nail battens over the cracks between the boards, or you can\noverlap the edges of the boards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you have a problem with animals digging under the fence, you\ncan dig a trench and bury gopher wire<\/p>\n\n\n\n folded out from the base of the fence. You could even gopher proof\na whole room in this way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Picket Fences<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n These are one of the more formal and elegant wooden fences and are\ncommonly used around the front garden to make a good impression. A picket fence\ncan be open or closed. An open fence has spaces between the boards and so uses\nless wood. It allows some light to pass through, breaks the wind more effectively\nand you can see through it (plants can poke through as well) A closed fence has\nthe boards butted together, which gives more privacy, but uses more wood and\ncreates more shade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can buy picket fences in pre-made panels, but if you have a\ntable saw you can make your own pretty easily. There is plenty of scope for\ncreativity here; you can cut the tops of the boards into a variety of\ndecorative shapes and can vary the height of the boards. They can be left\nunpainted, painted one color (to coordinate with the house), or you could paint\nthings on them. When assembling the panels you should make the gap less than\nthe width of the boards. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Old pallets can be used to make a picket fence, if you can get\nenough of them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Grape stakes<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n A variation on the picket fence (often seen where I live) is made\nfrom old Redwood grape stakes. These are very durable, so you sometimes find\nold ones for sale inexpensively. New real grape stales are getting scarce these\ndays, but you can still find the similar (but thinner) redwood palings. If you\nhave a source of easily split wood (Redwood, Chestnut, Cedar) and a froe you can also\nmake your own stakes. This isn\u2019t difficult and is very satisfying. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You can vary the transparency of a grape stake fence by how\nclosely you space the palings. Very close together and it is almost opaque. Far\napart and you can see right through it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can make a 4 feet high grape stake (or any other) fence deer\nproof by putting a 4 feet high fence of chicken wire parallel to it and 4 feet\nbehind it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Paling fence<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n A commonly used fence in England (and worth emulating) is made\nfrom strips of cloven chestnut held together with wire. This is an\nexceptionally versatile and useful fence because it can be moved quite easily\n(just roll it up and carry it away). It also uses less wood as it doesn\u2019t\nrequire any cross rails. This was once widely used to protect new hedges (from\nanimals and wind) until the plants grew large enough to work by themselves. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you are handy you can make paling fencing yourself from wire\nand coppiced Chestnut or old Redwood grape stakes or\npalings (or even sawn 1\u201d X 3\u201d). It is fairly straightforward to make (it would\nactually be a good business if you grew and coppiced your own Chestnut). A similar product is\navailable commercially in this country, made with sawn redwood lath, though\nthis isn\u2019t nearly as strong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Corrugated metal<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n This can be used to create a secure and solid fence with a modern\nindustrial look. Such a fence may take a battering in strong winds though, so\nneeds very secure fenceposts and cross members. If combined with metal or\nconcrete fenceposts, it is even fire resistant to some degree (though it will\nmelt if the fire gets hot enough). Old corrugated metal (good enough for a\nfence) can sometimes be obtained very cheaply from junkyards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Post and rail fence<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n These are widely used for keeping horses and other large livestock\nenclosed. They aren\u2019t very effective for much else though.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Home grown fence materials<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n A variety of home grown materials have been used for fences where\nwood isn\u2019t abundant. Split Bamboo (Arundinaria<\/em>) is a favorite fence\nmaterial in Japan and the intricate designs are a fascinating vernacular art\nform. In the southwest the woody ribs of the Saguaro (Cereus) have been used\nfor fencing. Giant Reed (Arundo donax<\/em>) was once used in France to make\nlightweight fence panels. With a little imagination Cattail, Bamboo, Bulrush\nand Reed might be used too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Wire fencing<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n There is wire fencing to suit every situation. It can be several\nsimple strands of wire (barbed or otherwise), chicken wire, chain link, hog wire\nand more. Wire fencing tends to be quite light visually, if also rather\nutilitarian. It can be covered with climbing vines to disguise it, in which\ncase it becomes a fedge. Chain link can be disguised with wood strips (these\nmake it into a good windbreak) or even pruned shoots from fruit trees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you use concrete fenceposts and wire fencing you can make a\nrelatively fire resistant barrier (though it would melt if the fire got hot\nenough).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Barbed wire may be ugly and nasty (and bad Feng Shui), but it is\nalso cheap and effective, which is why it runs for thousands of miles in some\nareas. In a humid climate it can be hidden very effectively with plants (they\nthink it is a sturdy trellis just for them). Barbed wire decorated with\nBlackberries and Wild Roses would make a pretty formidable barrier. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Enhancing your fence<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Ornamentation<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Erecting the fence is just the start. Look upon it as a blank\ncanvas, the starting point for some self-expression and let you imagination go\nto work. It can be decorated with artwork, vines, mirrors, old windows paint,\nold tools, trompe l\u2019oeil or anything else you can think of. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Post caps <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n These don\u2019t merely give the fence a more elegant and finished\nlook, they also protect the exposed end grain (which absorbs water more readily)\nso the post lasts longer. Caps can be made out of almost anything: wooden\nblocks (or stacks of blocks), elaborate finials, copper balls, birdhouses, hand\npicked stones and more. If you can\u2019t think of anything to use for caps, you\ncould just bevel the tops of the posts to help them shed water more easily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fences from the garden <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Brushwood fence<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Brushwood fences (also known as dead hedges – for obvious reasons) were\nprobably the first barriers ever made by humans. They can still be effective\ntoday and are relevant to us because they can be made at no cost, using\nunwanted material that might otherwise be burned. They also work as a quick\nscreen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To build a brushwood fence, a row of stakes are hammered into the\nground on the desired boundary line. Large branches or limbs are trimmed to a\nsingle flat plane and the sharpened butt ends are stuck into the ground in a\nline. These are spaced close together so there are no large gaps between them.\nAdditional stakes may be added as needed to give stability. Finally long supple\nshoots (Willow is ideal) are woven in and out of the branches and stakes to\nhold the whole thing together and fill any gaps. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Weeds and wild plants will soon colonize this kind of fence, as\nperching birds drop seeds in their droppings. Wind borne seeds are dropped when the\ndead hedge interferes with air flow. You can also sow plants intentionally\n(annual vines give an almost instant live hedge effect). Seedlings thrive in\nthe protection of the dead hedge as there is no competition from living plants\nand they are safe from herbivores and strong winds. This type of fence will\nonly last for a few years, but this is long enough for permanent plants to grow\nup through it, or to get a real hedge established. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Another brush fence<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n An even simpler way to use brush as a fence is to simply stack it\nsideways in a pile. The best way to do this is to hammer 2 rows of upright\nstakes into the ground about 18-24 inches apart, and stack the brushwood\nbetween the stakes, as high as you can go. As with the dead hedge, plants will\ngrow up through the brush.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tree stump fence<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n This was common in pioneer days when forests were being cleared to\ncreate fields. It consisted of a row of uprooted stumps with brushwood filling\nin any gaps in between.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Wattle hurdles<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n These traditional English panels are made from woven Willow or\nsplit Hazel. They are generally used as an accent around an important area,\nrather than around the whole garden. They look great but are pretty much\nimpossible to find in North America (though Chinese copies are starting to\nappear). If you were motivated you could learn to make them yourself and\nperhaps create a business for yourself. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Wicker fence<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n This is like a combination woven hurdle,\nliving Willow fence and brushwood fence. It is built using shoots of Willow (or\nother supple wood) woven between stout stakes pounded into the ground. If you\nuse Willow for the stakes it will often take root and grow (if the soil is\nmoist enough). These fences were once quite common in parts of the west where\ntrees were scarce. I have also seen this done in modern gardens, by simply\nweaving fruit tree prunings around upright stakes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pole Fence<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n If you have enough poles, you can make a fence from peeled poles\nfastened to cross members, attached to posts, palisade style. If they are kept\nfrom contact with the ground and treated with preservative, even pine may last\nfor a reasonable length of time. This is quite a bit of work, but if you have\nthe right materials it wouldn\u2019t cost anything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fenceposts<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Fenceposts must be made from rot resistant wood if they are to\nlast for any length of time. Oak, Chestnut and Locust are the most\ndurable, Cedar, Redwood and pressure treated softwood slightly less so. They\nare usually 8 feet long (with \u00bc – \u2153 of the post going into the ground) and are\nspaced 6 \u2013 8 feet apart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Most pressure treated posts are now treated with the alkaline\ncopper quaternary (ACQ), which is much less toxic than the old chromated copper\narsenate. When placing a fence post I usually backfill the hole with soil (some\npeople like to put some gravel underneath the post to improve drainage). Some\npeople worry this won\u2019t be strong enough and use concrete to hold the posts\nmore firmly. I might do this to anchor corner posts, or very exposed fences,\nbut it also hastens rotting and makes it harder to pull the posts and reuse\nthem (though you can sometimes smash it with a sledgehammer). If you do use\nconcrete you don\u2019t have to mix it; you can just pour it into the hole dry. It\nwill absorb enough moisture from the soil to set up (unless the soil is very\ndry).<\/p>\n\n\n\n In loose soil it may be easier to hammer pointed fenceposts into\nthe ground, rather digging holes and planting them. They will also be more\nsecure. Just make sure they are perpendicular when you hit them (an inexpensive\npost level will help).<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you are using pressure treated posts, don\u2019t put a cut end in\nthe ground. The untreated interior wood will rot as rapidly as any untreated\nsoftwood. Always put the uncut pressure treated end in the ground.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Steel fenceposts are often used for wire fences. These are simply\nhammered into the ground, and can be installed very quickly. I often use them\nfor temporary <\/p>\n\n\n\n wire fences as they are fairly easy to remove and reuse. As a\nbonus they are also recyclable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Grow your own posts<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n You can never have too many posts, but they aren\u2019t cheap to buy.\nIf you have the space you could grow your own fenceposts by coppicing rot resistant trees such as Chestnut, Mesquite, Oak, Black Locust or Osage orange. Chestnut is superior to other common\nwoods in that it doesn\u2019t have much sapwood. This means it can be used in the\nround, when only a few years old.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Most sapwood isn\u2019t very durable and a sapling may be composed of\nmostly sapwood. This is why fenceposts are commonly split out of larger logs\n(12\u201d or so in diameter). There is then some heartwood in each piece to hold\nnails. To get posts size pieces out of a larger log just start splitting the\npieces in half, until they are small enough to use. Don\u2019t try split a small\npiece off of a larger one. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In treeless (or fire prone) areas you can make virtually\nindestructible (though heavy) fenceposts from concrete and rebar. This is\nactually pretty easy and they really do last almost indefinitely. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Plants and fences<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Fences can be made more attractive and\nproductive by training climbing, rambling or espaliered plants over them\n(sometimes you may even put up a fence primarily to act as a support for\nclimbing plants). This is a win win win situation; the plants receive support\nand extra warmth, the walls look better and are more secure and you get to\nharvest food. Akebia, Kiwi, Roses, Grapes, Passion Vines and thornless\nBlackberries all work well. After a while your fence may get so overgrown it\nstarts to look like a hedge. You can add some trellis on top if you want extra\nheight. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Some plants can be used to strengthen a flimsy fence and\neventually turn it into a formidable barrier. These could be wild plants or\nuseful cultivated plants such as grapes. Alternatively they could get so heavy\nthey pull the fence down with their weight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Interior dividing fences can be enhanced with plants quite easily,\nas they don\u2019t need to be protected from hungry deer.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"