Several factors must be considered when installing a fence around your property. Fences serve a range of purposes, from enhancing privacy and security to improving the appearance of your yard.
While numerous fencing options are available, a natural fence can offer a unique alternative to traditional fencing materials like wood or metal. Before deciding on a fence type, weighing the advantages and disadvantages is essential.
Let’s get straight to the point.
Installing a fence around your property offers privacy, security, containment for kids and pets, noise reduction, and improved visual appeal. However, it also has drawbacks, including maintenance, potential neighbour disputes, cost, and impact on wildlife.
Using plants like hedges or trees, natural fences provide a sustainable, aesthetic alternative to traditional fencing materials. These fences offer long-term environmental benefits and less maintenance but require careful planning. Fences enhance safety and property value, though the costs and maintenance should be considered before installation.
Exploring Natural Fences
Natural fences provide an eco-friendly and visually pleasing alternative to traditional fencing, blending organically into the landscape.
- Eco-friendly: Built from natural materials like plants, wood, and stone, these fences reduce environmental impact and integrate with natural surroundings.
- Visually appealing: They create a lush, green barrier that enhances property aesthetics while offering privacy.
- Low maintenance: Natural fences often only require occasional pruning, eliminating the need for painting or sealing.
- Durable: When established, they can last longer than many traditional fences, offering a cost-effective solution over time.
Popular Plant Choices For Natural Fences
Selecting the right plants for a natural fence is crucial to achieving the desired appearance, privacy level, and maintenance requirements. Here are some popular plant options that can be used to create a living fence:
- Amur Maple: This versatile plant can be shaped into a small tree or maintained as a dense hedge. Its vibrant red autumn foliage adds seasonal interest and colour to the landscape.
- Concolor Fir: Known for its soft, blue-tinted needles, the Concolor Fir thrives in sunny, windy areas. It provides an evergreen barrier that offers year-round privacy and colour.
- European Hornbeam: With a dense canopy as it matures, it is ideal for creating a tall privacy screen. Its strong structure makes it a durable choice for a natural fence.
- Hedge Maple: Growing at about a foot per year, this small maple is easy to shape into a hedge and requires minimal maintenance. It’s ideal for those seeking a manageable, slow-growing option.
- Leyland Cypress: Known for its rapid growth, sometimes up to three feet per year, the Leyland Cypress offers quick and effective privacy. Its dense foliage creates a thick green wall ideal for noise reduction and visual screening.
The Future Of Fencing: Farm Fences And Hedgerows
Hedgerows have long served in agriculture, offering both practical and environmental benefits.
- Cultural significance: Historically used in farming, they help define boundaries and foster a sense of community among farmers.
- Low maintenance: Once established, hedgerows need little upkeep compared to traditional fencing options, making them practical in rural settings.
Environmental Benefits Of Hedgerows
Hedgerows provide numerous ecological benefits, contributing to a sustainable landscape.
- Wildlife habitat: Hedgerows act as natural corridors, supporting local wildlife and increasing biodiversity.
- Erosion control: The roots stabilise soil, effectively preventing erosion and managing runoff.
- Sustainable resources: Native plants in hedgerows can provide renewable resources like firewood, enhancing their utility over time.
Benefits Of Installing A Fence
1. Privacy
A well-built fence provides much-needed privacy, especially if you live in a busy neighbourhood. With the right fence, your backyard becomes a secluded retreat where you can relax without worrying about prying eyes. Whether it’s a tall privacy fence or a lower one, having this barrier creates a sense of peace and tranquillity in your outdoor space.
2. Containment For Kids And Pets
If you have children or pets, a fence ensures they can play outside without wandering off. Fences keep your kids and pets safe within the boundaries of your yard, allowing you to watch them while they enjoy outdoor activities. It also prevents unwanted animals from entering your property.
3. Enhanced Security
Installing a fence can improve your property’s security. A strong fence prevents intruders from entering your home. This is especially important if you have valuable outdoor equipment like playground gear or a swimming pool. A fence around these areas reduces the risk of accidents or trespassing.
4. Noise Reduction
A high, solid fence can significantly reduce noise pollution for homeowners near busy roads. Depending on the height and design, fences can block out some background noise from traffic, making your home quieter and more peaceful. A reduction of six to ten decibels is often possible with a well-constructed fence.
5. Boost In Curb Appeal
A fence can enhance the aesthetic appeal of your property. With the right design, a fence can complement your landscaping, highlight garden features, and add to the overall visual appeal of your home. This can also increase your property’s value, making it more attractive to potential buyers if you ever decide to sell.
Drawbacks Of Fences
While there are many benefits to installing a fence, there are also a few drawbacks to consider.
1. Maintenance
Fences, especially those made from wood, require regular maintenance. Wood fences need cleaning, staining, sealing, and painting to prevent warping and rotting. A fence can quickly detract from your property’s appearance without this upkeep. Consider the time and effort you’re willing to invest in fence maintenance before deciding.
2. Disagreements With Neighbours
If you share a boundary with a neighbour, installing a fence can sometimes lead to disputes. Your neighbour may have different ideas about the need for a fence or its design. It’s important to resolve differences amicably and agree on the cost and maintenance responsibilities before construction begins.
3. Cost
Fencing can be expensive and varies depending on materials, design, and labour. When budgeting for your project, factor in material and installation costs.
4. Hassle With Lawn Care
Maintaining the grass or shrubs around a fence can be time-consuming. The grass along the base of the fence can be difficult to mow or trim, and bushes or vines may overgrow the fence structure. If not properly maintained, this can cause the fence to deteriorate over time.
5. Impact On Wildlife
For those living in rural areas, fences can pose a barrier to local wildlife. Some animals may become trapped or injured by the fence, leading to costly repairs and frustration. If wildlife is a concern, ensuring that your fence design allows animals to access water sources like ponds and streams on your property is essential.
Conclusion
Installing a fence around your property can offer many benefits, from increased privacy and security to enhanced curb appeal. Whether you opt for a traditional or natural fence, it’s important to consider both the advantages and potential drawbacks. Fences require maintenance, can be costly, and may impact relationships with neighbours or local wildlife. However, with careful planning and consideration, a fence can be a valuable addition to your home, providing safety, beauty, and peace of mind.
FAQs About House Fence
What Can I Plant As A Natural Barrier?
She advises that evergreen trees like cherry laurel or holly can offer year-round protection. Depending on your Plant Hardiness Zone, other good year-round privacy plants include privet, arborvitae, boxwood, and the Thuja Green Giant Hedge. One plant you should avoid, however, is bamboo.
What Is The Fastest Growing Privacy Plant?
Bamboo – A fast-growing plant that makes a great privacy screen is bamboo.
What Is The Best Privacy Hedge That Is Fast Growing?
The fastest-growing privacy hedges are Thuja Green Giant, Leyland Cypress, Cryptomeria Radicans, and Wax Myrtle, with growth rates of 3 to 5 feet per year. Carolina Sapphire Cypress, Nellie Stevens Holly, Oakland Holly, and Wavy Leaf Ligustrum offer fast privacy with 2 to 3 feet of upward growth annually.
Does Bamboo Make A Good Privacy Hedge?
Bamboo is a great plant for visual privacy screens or evergreen hedges because it has a relatively small footprint, is tall, is alive, grows fast, produces oxygen, sequesters carbon, and is beautiful.
When Is The Best Time To Plant A Hedge?
- Evergreen and semi-evergreen hedges: Early autumn is ideal for hedging plants such as box, privet (semi-evergreen) and yew. However, they can be planted from late autumn until late winter.
- Deciduous hedges: Plant beech, hawthorn, and hornbeam at any time from leaf fall.
