No Man's Land

Whenever I’m asked to look at someone’s garden, either to draw up a new design or improve what
is already there, I always try to ascertain who is responsible for the various boundaries surrounding the property. We are lucky to live in a relatively peaceful country, but as an island nation that  has been invaded over the centuries by Vikings, Romans, Germans (nearly!), Tesco’s and the grey squirrel, we take the integrity of our property very seriously. Whilst we might no longer have to face marauding scoundrels from overseas, we now have a new homegrown enemy to repel in the form of noise and air pollution – against which a well thought out barrier is a great first defence.

Normally, the title Deeds will give some idea of boundary ownership, but this isn’t always the case. Ownership can be devolved to the property that has adopted and maintained the boundary over a period of time. For years, I have always understood the accepted convention to be that the left-hand side boundary is yours but this isn’t always correct; even if the fence posts are on your side of the fence and your neighbour has the ‘best’ side, it doesn’t mean that it is yours. 

Apologies if this is all sounding a tad confusing but in the worst case scenario it can (and has) led to feuds, GBH or even dastardly plots straight from Midsommer Murders! So, if you aren’t sure who owns what with your boundaries, it might be worth popping round with a bottle of red and having a friendly and diplomatic discussion – at least then you can then either improve what currently exists along the boundary or start again and make a really impressive and attractive boundary partition.

I think it is fair to say that most homeowners just want a boundary material that is relatively strong but cheap – and normally that means a wooden fence. The most universally favoured version of this is the good old 6-foot fence panel which can be erected by anyone with a modicum of DIY skills. However, for a classier finish you could choose a close-board fence. A similar price to the panelled version, this can provide a nice backdrop for a planting scheme and also provides a great framework for a hedge planted against it. This, in turn, would provide a fantastic habitat for wildlife and would filter out a lot of the noise pollution that a solid barrier will simply deflect. If you want to add some extra height above the fence, consider planting some standard trees or, for the ideal solution, some pleached trees on frames. The most popular type of pleached tree is the Hornbeam but you could use anything from crab apple to lime trees as they all look fabulous when trained in this way.

Staining any new or old fence a dark colour really
enhances the rest of the planting in front of it. All
new fencing arrives in a yukky orange colour, not
unlike the American President’s hairpiece! If you’ve
cut all diplomatic ties with your neighbours, then
there is always the option of erecting a new fence
on your side of the boundary. You might want to
consider something more tasteful to take your eye
away from the old boundary and put up a slatted
fence – which is simply posts with strips of wood in
between. 


Normally made from a quality wood such as cedar or painted softwood, these fences can look fantastic, particularly if you plant something like the evergreen climber Trachelspermum against it.  Most of the gardens at the Chelsea Flower Show are sporting this style of fencing so if you really want to be part of the horticultural “in crowd,” this is what you should be considering.

Wouldn’t it be nice if we could all afford to live in a walled garden with a drawbridge to keep out the riff raff?!