What Is the Best Garden Fencing for Your Garden?
What kind of garden fence you choose to surround your garden depends upon several factors, including its purpose. Is the fence to be merely decorative or will it serve some practical purpose?
It may be to keep a toddler from trampling your herb garden or to keep out more furry garden pests, e.g. deer. raccoons or rabbits. Deer are foragers. They will eat practically anything with green leaves. In fact, they can strip your garden bare in no time if given half a chance.
Animal Resistant Fencing
With that in mind, there are numerous choices when it comes to protecting your garden with a fence to keep out wild animals. If you are on a tight budget, it can be something as simple as chicken wire or mesh. However, besides aesthetics, there is another reason this may not fly for your garden. That is the fact certain wild animals are very creative thinkers. They won’t rest until they’ve conquered the obstacle you have placed before them.
Raccoons are notorious for their cleverness. If you have ever seen a raccoon’s claws you can appreciate what great diggers they are. They can work their way under that chicken wire in no time.
But there are other options available from chain link to welded wire fencing made with sturdier gauge wire.
Whatever you choose, you don’t want to underestimate how fast and deep a rabbit can burrow. Some garden fencing comes with a rabbit guard which consists of a finer mesh that is buried deeper into the soil to deter rabbits from getting in.
Decorative Fencing
If your garden is part of your yard and visible from your house, you may want more decorative garden fencing. If you like a rustic look, a split rail fence will do a good job of delineating your garden from the rest of your yard. There is also the ever popular picket fence to give your yard a cottage feel which is very warm and homey.
Another option is a stone fence. It takes a little more time and elbow grease, but will give the area the feel of an old English garden. Brick is another appealing look. It may take a little more time and money but looks great. You can shave some money off the cost by watching craigslist and other selling websites for used brick or even old cobblestone.
Finally, wood fencing can range from rustic to stylish depending on your tastes and purpose. Just be sure that the wood is properly treated for weather resistance and to deter pests and insects. Otherwise it could become a banquet hall for carpenter ants and bees, wasps and even woodpeckers.
A home garden is useful in so many ways. It can be a great family project and save you money at the same time. It can provide an endless supply of fruits and vegetables as well. But without adequate fencing, you may find all that hard work was done in vain. So check with your neighborhood home improvement store and get the fencing that’s right for you.
