How to Design a Garden Fence
You have many options when it comes to a garden fence. Usually a garden face is constructed to keep out animals that can quickly decimate your fruits and vegetables, but sometimes they are purely aesthetic as a border that helps them to stand out on a property. How you design your fence depends primarily on the purpose.
- Design your fence so that the animals cannot access your crops. Usually, it is deer, squirrels and chipmunks and rabbits that do the most damage. The height and abilities of these creatures must be kept in mind if you are to keep them out.
- Incorporate four-by-four posts into the perimeter of the garden. You will need one every four feet. They should be five feet tall to keep out deer that can reach across it.
- Pick a material to go from post to post to prevent entry. A fencing material at least a foot and a half from the bottom up will keep out rabbits, but chipmunks and squirrels may climb it if you have those in your garden area. You don't want deer to be able to poke their heads through the sides of the fence, either.
- Use decorative wooden boards, composite lumber or vinyl fencing material if your garden fence is simply to set off a flower garden and not to keep out garden pests. There are many decorative styles to choose from. Consult your home improvement store for ideas on materials and the vast array of styles.
- Utilize boards or wire fencing all the way around the perimeter.
- Allow for a gate of some sort for you to enter and exit the garden. The gate will need to be protective, as well. Keep the gate wide enough so that you can get any needed equipment and materials in and out.
- Plan for decorating and/or painting your fence, if needed. You can finish off wooden boards or posts with paints that are safe around plants.