Don’t Fence Me In!
By: Virgil L. Jones, Master Gardener

    The old song "Don't Fence Me In" has a lot of truth in it, but then again the New England poet Robert Frost writes that "Good Fences Make Good Neighbors".  Maybe there can be a happy medium.  Building a barrier between you and your neighbor, not because you don't like him, but for the privacy we all enjoy when we are relaxing in our yards at home.

     Many people, as soon as they move into a new home without a fence, immediately build or have built a high wooden fence around their backyard.  It is all very well and good for the privacy aspect, but there are other ways to give privacy that are much more innovative and will attract, birds, butterflies and small wildlife, and make your landscape more natural looking, and certainly more attractive.

    A solid wood fence not only gives a barren look to the landscape, but it also cuts down air circulation and traps heat, so that it is more difficult to grow some shrubs and subjects them to more disease problems. If you want a wooden privacy fence, then choose one that alternates the upright boards on each side of the horizontal rails, which will give you better air circulation, even though it still looks quite barren.

     Some people elect to erect a chain link fence, or move into a home that has an existing one, and this, too, can be pretty blah, although it will effectively prevent unwanted traffic.  To make this type of fencing rabbit-proof, some people go a step further and add a row of chicken wire fencing around the bottom to keep those destructive varmints from eating some of their veggies and flowers.

    We can always plant small trees, shrubs and vines in front of our fences, but a better solution, and a more natural looking one, although it may take more time, is to use plant material exclusively to make a barrier from intrusive eyes.  This allows cooling breezes to circulate, offers birds, butterflies and other wildlife food, shelter and protection, and also offers seclusion in the outdoor enclosure.

    By choosing the planting material carefully, outdoor living spaces can be made with various plant materials in just a year or so. There are so many different small trees, shrubs, vines, perennials and annuals to choose from, it may take more time and effort to determine what material would best suit your needs, but the end result will be more pleasing, not only to you, but to your neighbors.

    Your nurseryman can give you many good suggestions as to types of plant material that make effective fencing material, or there are many books available at local libraries that can be helpful in making plant selections.  By using combinations of different plants, such as tall ones for screening, mid-size plants for the middle and finally smaller plants for the front to surround your yard, you will end up with a most attractive and relaxing outdoor area to enjoy.