Rustic/inexpensive fencing

Anybody got any ideas for some rustic and inexpensive fencing for our property? It's biggish, so I don't want to spend an arm and a leg. I am open to any suggestions or creative ideas.

Thanks,
Mandy Wildman
The Bratty English Gardener

Tags: fencing

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Permalink Reply by Sheela Repoley on April 6, 2010 at 1:04pm

How about bamboo? My neighbor has way too much and wants people to cut it down.

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Permalink Reply by Barbara on May 12, 2010 at 7:45am

Oh, one other that might be more to your taste. Lombardy poplar grows at about 6 feet a year. To fence with it you plant them 6 - 8 feet apart. They are beautiful and top at around 30 to 40 feet. Can be had cheaply from the same source as above. I planted about 20 and none failed.

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Permalink Reply by Barbara on May 12, 2010 at 7:41am

Boy, I don't know just how rustic you want, but here's what I've done. I had an 1 1/2 acres bounded on 3 sides by fields. There was a deer run coming straight through the property. While that might seem charming to some, they came in bunches noshing on tree bark and tulips as they went. I really wanted to discourage them.

One side of the property had original planting of eglantine as a way of creating a fence. Eglantine is called sweet briar and is the original rose. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eglantine) I see you have a variety volunteering around here. The stuff grows really quickly and makes mounds up to 5 feet high (and many times wide) creating a barrier that no creature will cross. It is invasive, but very useful for this specific need. I certainly wouldn't allow it anywhere near a house or more formal plantings. You can propagate it by tip layering or just digging up roots.

Another plant useful as a boundary fencing is silky dogwood. It's a non blooming, very invasive shrub that grows up to 20 feet high. It's a fast grower and throws seed as well as propagating by runners and tip layering. This is not a variety used as a landscaping shrub. It's a fencer and forest filler. Thrives in sun through to part sun, any soil at all. Can be obtained in quantity through Musser Forests.

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Permalink Reply by Mandy Wildman on May 12, 2010 at 8:13am

Thank you, Barbara, for your wonderful suggestions - I am going to take them all into consideration and I'll let you know what we decide.

Best, Mandy