cheap privacy fence

[Myscha Theriault]

Hi Lucille.

I'm not sure about the picture, but to carry on with the harvest theme from the berry idea suggested above, our neighbors in Italy made their back yard hedge out of a row of rosemary bushes. They really do get huge. And so fragrant. When you trim them, you've got loads of rosemary you can take to friends. Bay laurel is another. And while I'm thinking about it, here's something else I've seen. If you have chain link (or the el cheapo posts with chicken wire), you can sort of do your fence in sections to save on the more expensive materials. For example, sections could be done in premade wooden fencing, stopping every so many feet for a living portion of the fence. Or, if you want to cheap it out and still have it look charming, you could go for the cut branches attached vertically, or ocatillo makes a great dead wood or living fence depending on how you install it. Of course, ocatillo means you need to be further south and like the desert types of plants. Something to think about though. One section of giant rosemary, one section of berries, one section of bay laurel, etc. As long as the middle wooden sections all match, I've seen this done quite successfully. Anyway, good luck with your project.

[lucille]

Originally Posted by Myscha Theriault

Hi Lucille.

I'm not sure about the picture, but to carry on with the harvest theme from the berry idea suggested above, our neighbors in Italy made their back yard hedge out of a row of rosemary bushes. They really do get huge. And so fragrant. When you trim them, you've got loads of rosemary you can take to friends. Bay laurel is another. And while I'm thinking about it, here's something else I've seen. If you have chain link (or the el cheapo posts with chicken wire), you can sort of do your fence in sections to save on the more expensive materials. For example, sections could be done in premade wooden fencing, stopping every so many feet for a living portion of the fence. Or, if you want to cheap it out and still have it look charming, you could go for the cut branches attached vertically, or ocatillo makes a great dead wood or living fence depending on how you install it. Of course, ocatillo means you need to be further south and like the desert types of plants. Something to think about though. One section of giant rosemary, one section of berries, one section of bay laurel, etc. As long as the middle wooden sections all match, I've seen this done quite successfully. Anyway, good luck with your project.

I'm going to have to pay the garden center and extension office a visit to find out what can grow this far north. We may end up having to do some sort of fence plus bushes across the back since it gets really wet in the back of the yard when it rains. I know black raspberries grow well in that condition but other bushes might get root rot. I'm thinking that hedge in the picture is yew but I'm not sure. Something that dense would be great. Lilacs grow well here but take a ton of room and are not very dense. We also have the downside that our subdivision is pretty strict on fencing and such. If we put up something extremely non-standard we could be asked to take it down.

[72Tiger]

here are some photos. tips, and how-to's on privet hedges.

http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/phot...589974,00.html

[Mary Webber]

I loved Myscha's idea of rosemary or other herbs for a fence, but in my area, southern Maine, rosemary doesn't winter over very often, and many of the other shrubby herbs die back completely. Not good for a winter-time fence! I'm particularly interest in this as we're thinking to grow some kind of fence on our sideline. HEY, we already have one holly bush out there and a few more would make an outstanding four-season fence!

[Myscha Theriault]

Well, with holly bushes, you'd have the makings for really great eco friendly Christmas ornaments, and could probably pick up a few bucks making wire hanger box wreaths out of them . . . http://www.wisebread.com/what-to-do-with-wire-hangers Besides, holly is GORGEOUS.

[Bernadette]

http://www.elderberries.com/elderberry-sambucus-info/

Elderberries are an attractive, fast-growing plant that might make a good edible hedge. One caution: parts of the plant are toxic, so you'd want to be careful with children and pets.

[Mary Webber]

Ahhh, elderberry wine. Maybe you could even start a business from this hedge!

[lucille]

Here's an update on the fence now hedge thing is going.

I found a variety of privet that can grow up north where we are. I did some googling for varieties and then looked for ones that can handle harsh weather up here and have a growing potential to get at least 6ft high. I also ran across a discussion on one of the MN extension offices forums. There was lots of detail there from people who have actually grown privet in this region. The variety I decided on is called Amur River Privet.

I checked locally and none of the greenhouses get it in during the spring. But I found a couple of places in MN, WI & IL that do bare root by mail order in spring. The plants average around $2-$3 each and you plant 1-2 feet apart for developing a trimmed hedge. So for a 8 foot section, about what a wood fence panel is, it would cost $16, plus the digging and care ongoing.

The double bonus on this is that it will act as a windbreak and snow fence. We have had wood privacy fences blow over before because it is so windy here.

[Beignet]

no doubt the hedge!

My second option would be with a chain link fence with some bleeding hearts. It's a white and red flower, but he plant is a climbing vine. I did it years ago and if you keep it fertilized (sp?) and pull out other weed growing vines, it looks very very nice.

Do what they do in the Hamptons! Hedges!

[lucille]

Originally Posted by Beignet

no doubt the hedge!

My second option would be with a chain link fence with some bleeding hearts. It's a white and red flower, but he plant is a climbing vine. I did it years ago and if you keep it fertilized (sp?) and pull out other weed growing vines, it looks very very nice.

Do what they do in the Hamptons! Hedges!

That is sort of what we are trying to do with the property anyway, when we add or improve we are attempting to add things that give a hint of luxury or old money if we can make it financially feasible. The money we can save on doing the hedge can go into putting a really nice side gate that will be seen from the street (built by us). Hopefully when the hedge is eventually grown in the combination of that and a nicer gate will give the property a boost vs. those with the plain wood fence.

Our next project is putting down tumbled marble tile in the bathroom that we got on clearance and some from Freecycle.