Warning: Use of undefined constant powered_by - assumed 'powered_by' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /home/thegui11/public_html/wp-content/plugins/wp-followme/followme.php on line 58
Warning: Use of undefined constant powered_by - assumed 'powered_by' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /home/thegui11/public_html/wp-content/plugins/wp-followme/followme.php on line 58
Warning: Use of undefined constant powered_by - assumed 'powered_by' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /home/thegui11/public_html/wp-content/plugins/wp-followme/followme.php on line 58
Warning: Use of undefined constant powered_by - assumed 'powered_by' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /home/thegui11/public_html/wp-content/plugins/wp-followme/followme.php on line 58
Warning: Use of undefined constant powered_by - assumed 'powered_by' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /home/thegui11/public_html/wp-content/plugins/wp-followme/followme.php on line 58
Warning: Use of undefined constant powered_by - assumed 'powered_by' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /home/thegui11/public_html/wp-content/plugins/wp-followme/followme.php on line 58
Warning: Use of undefined constant powered_by - assumed 'powered_by' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /home/thegui11/public_html/wp-content/plugins/wp-followme/followme.php on line 58
Warning: Use of undefined constant powered_by - assumed 'powered_by' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /home/thegui11/public_html/wp-content/plugins/wp-followme/followme.php on line 58
Warning: Use of undefined constant powered_by - assumed 'powered_by' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /home/thegui11/public_html/wp-content/plugins/wp-followme/followme.php on line 58
Warning: Use of undefined constant powered_by - assumed 'powered_by' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /home/thegui11/public_html/wp-content/plugins/wp-followme/followme.php on line 58
Warning: Use of undefined constant powered_by - assumed 'powered_by' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /home/thegui11/public_html/wp-content/plugins/wp-followme/followme.php on line 58
Creating a Prickly Boundary – Protecting Gardens from Invasion
As most readers of this blog are well aware of, I’ve had some unwanted guests in my garden – of the homosapien kind. To be fair, I made the first theft easy. I’d moved from London into Essex and was naively enjoying a more rural lifestyle (it’s not rural at all; just the perception) when someone just walked through the back gate and took my pet chicken. There was nothing to stop then, not even a lock. The second time, however, there were locks, trellising and even motion sensor lights. The passage of time had lulled me into a false sense of security. Yes, I’d put some trellis up and I’d planted a few pyracantha. It was enough, right? Wrong. Very wrong. So now I’m on a mission to make the boundaries of my garden as prickly and inhospitable as possible.
You can see here that fencing on both sides of the garden is inadequate. Additional trellising screens and provides little support for those climbing over.
Trellising and Fencing
First, of course, comes the need for adequate fencing and trellising. As well as preventing people coming into your garden, you need to stop opportunists and nosy eyes peering in to see what’s of value. After all, what a thief can’t see is less likely to attract them. A six foot fence is great, but I strongly advise adding trellising to the top. Why? Because a fence is nice and sturdy to climb over – I know this to my peril as I’m sure my neighbours new concrete fence gave the latest thief an easy step-up. A trellis, however, is flimsy and likely to break. A burglar wants an easy route, not to end up in a heap on the floor covered in broken wood and splinters; not to mention the sound such an incident would make.
Something which I’m yet to do is add anti-climb paint. This isn’t for everyone. If, for example, you’ve got a rather nimble cat, the last thing you want is jet-black paw prints all over the house. But, in my situation, where I’ve experienced two invasions in under six months, I’m probably going to opt for this. A simple line of paint along the top of the trellis and any exposed parts of the wall will leave thieves in a mucky mess. In addition, though you can’t legally use upturned nails, glass shards, barbed wire etc, you can use carpet runners; you know the type – those grips that keep carpets down and hurt like hell if you stand on them barefoot. Nail a few of those to the top of fencing and your burglars are in for a nasty surprise.
Planting
Planting boundaries is a somewhat frustrating endeavour because though you may love the process of growing, you’ll want a boundary to establish itself fairly quickly. As a result, I’m attempting a two-pronged approach with plants that’ll take time to establish, and others that are fast growing.
Your thorny blackberry, for example, is ideal. Given the right circumstances, blackberry canes can grow 10 feet or more in a year. Plus, they remain prickly throughout the winter months AND will provide bountiful berries to you and all the birds during late summer. In addition, you might like to try less lethal plants that will grow through the trellis and provide some screening. Alas, now we’re approaching winter it’s too late for that, but if you’re starting this process in spring, pop in a few Virginia creepers, clematis Montana or Honeysuckles. Annuals will do well too, and some sweet peas, black-eyed Susan, morning glory or even runner beans/French beans will help provide some screening for one season. This isn’t the long time aim, of course, but it allows the slower, thornier growers to get going whilst screening out prying eyes looking for an easy steal.
Vicious specimens
As a gardener, the most vicious specimen I’ve ever come across is pyracantha. Damn, this plant hurts like hell. It has thorns that’ll make you bleed, and they snap off as well, leaving you cursing the splinters etched across your hands. It is, therefore, a fabulous boundary plant. It also provides colourful berries in the autumn, and it’s evergreen. It takes some pretty harsh pruning too, so you can trim it flat against a fence so as not to take up much room. Once established it’ll grow quite quickly, but to get a full hedge you’ll have to wait a few years first, carefully tying the new shoots to the trellis so you can get the shape desired.
Blackthorn can be a great boundary plant, offering thorns, spring blossom and – a very important ingredient – sloes for gin!
Other hedge options include blackthorn and hawthorn; both of which have vicious spikes for protection and offer some other goodies. Haws come in reds and oranges, and blossom of pink or white makes quite a show. Blackthorn (Prunus spinoso), meanwhile, offers pretty white blossom that is a sure sign of spring. AND there’s sloes. What more persuasion do you need? Thorns and now you can make sloe gin too! And, if you really want to create a thorny hedge, some of the wild roses are brutal with their spikes. Combine these with shrubs and you’ll get added interest throughout the year with flowers and hips.
So, though my thorny boundary project has been going some time, I’m ramping it up with a vengeance; I will make it as hard and painful as possible to come into my garden uninvited. And, though I’ve certainly been inspired even more to make our move to a rural retreat as quick as possible, I’m going to be leaving a beautiful yet vicious safeguard.
Warning: Use of undefined constant powered_by - assumed 'powered_by' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /home/thegui11/public_html/wp-content/plugins/wp-followme/followme.php on line 58
Warning: Use of undefined constant powered_by - assumed 'powered_by' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /home/thegui11/public_html/wp-content/plugins/wp-followme/followme.php on line 58
Warning: Use of undefined constant powered_by - assumed 'powered_by' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /home/thegui11/public_html/wp-content/plugins/wp-followme/followme.php on line 58
Warning: Use of undefined constant powered_by - assumed 'powered_by' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /home/thegui11/public_html/wp-content/plugins/wp-followme/followme.php on line 58
Warning: Use of undefined constant powered_by - assumed 'powered_by' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /home/thegui11/public_html/wp-content/plugins/wp-followme/followme.php on line 58
Warning: Use of undefined constant powered_by - assumed 'powered_by' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /home/thegui11/public_html/wp-content/plugins/wp-followme/followme.php on line 58
Warning: Use of undefined constant powered_by - assumed 'powered_by' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /home/thegui11/public_html/wp-content/plugins/wp-followme/followme.php on line 58
Warning: Use of undefined constant powered_by - assumed 'powered_by' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /home/thegui11/public_html/wp-content/plugins/wp-followme/followme.php on line 58
Warning: Use of undefined constant powered_by - assumed 'powered_by' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /home/thegui11/public_html/wp-content/plugins/wp-followme/followme.php on line 58
Warning: Use of undefined constant powered_by - assumed 'powered_by' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /home/thegui11/public_html/wp-content/plugins/wp-followme/followme.php on line 58
Warning: Use of undefined constant powered_by - assumed 'powered_by' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /home/thegui11/public_html/wp-content/plugins/wp-followme/followme.php on line 58
Warning: Use of undefined constant powered_by - assumed 'powered_by' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /home/thegui11/public_html/wp-content/plugins/wp-followme/followme.php on line 58
Warning: Use of undefined constant powered_by - assumed 'powered_by' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /home/thegui11/public_html/wp-content/plugins/wp-followme/followme.php on line 58
Warning: Use of undefined constant powered_by - assumed 'powered_by' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /home/thegui11/public_html/wp-content/plugins/wp-followme/followme.php on line 58
Leave a Reply