8 Garden Fence Ideas That Will Complement Any Landscape1. Wicker
Fence materials vary, and most wicker fences like this one are constructed of bent willow. Although such profusion would be out of place with simplistic modern homes, it pairs well with more traditional styles.
2. Metal
Reminiscent of Mediterranean balconies or of the wrought-iron fences once used to secure the perimeter of estates, elegant decorative metal fencing goes especially well with stucco houses of Moorish or Spanish design.
3. Wood Edging
Half-log edging gives off a country vibe reminiscent of rail fences and corrals. If you like the idea of wood, you also can use money-saving old pallets to construct garden beds and barriers.
4. White Vinyl
If you subscribe to the American dream of a white picket fence, but don’t like the work involved with maintaining a wooden one, you might want to opt for a vinyl garden fence instead.
5. Climbing Plants
Although the design and composition of this fence is hard to make out behind its veil of roses, it illustrates an excellent garden fence idea—horizontal bars that act as a kind of “laid-on-its-side” trellis. On it, you can train climbing or vining plants such as roses, clematis, honeysuckle, and others to grow laterally rather than upward, perhaps almost concealing the original fence but making a living one of their own.
6. Rustic Rope
With a look somewhat similar to that of the cable type of guardrails, this fence’s style depends quite a bit on the type of materials from which it is constructed. Weathered wood and rope, for example, could suit it to casual rural settings while metal stakes accompanied by cables probably would make it more appropriate for a modern industrial type of architecture. In the latter case, mass plantings of the same shrub or flower would fit the simplistic style better than many different varieties.
7. Living
Neatly sheared living fences, such as the boxwood hedges shown here, are highly popular in the formal gardens associated with mansions or British manors. In formal gardens, simplicity is key, and masses of the same type of plant rather than a mix of many can give a simple but formal feel. Since tall hedges tend to hide all but the stateliest flowers that stand behind them, you may want to make yours short or keep your beds in front of rather than behind those hedges. Or use this hedge as a living fence to separate a front yard or border the sidewalk or driveway.
8. Chew-Proof
Some garden fences offer more function than aesthetics. Netting is strictly utilitarian and designed to keep wild animals—especially deer—out of your vegetable garden. Keep in mind that, to be successful, that netting will need to stand at least 6 feet tall for deer and probably won’t be strong enough to keep rabbits and groundhogs from chewing through it. Although desperate gardeners sometimes use it for flower beds, it isn’t especially pretty, but doesn’t mar the landscape as much as chicken wire can.