Something there is that doesn't love a wall,

That sends the frozen-ground-swell under it

And spills the upper boulders in the sun;

And make gaps even two can pass abreast.

-excerpt from

"Mending Wall," Robert Frost

We are well into mid-spring, the season of assessment. What damage has been done by winter snow and thaw, April's showers, downpours and mud? As we wait for the ground to warm and dry, repair work is in earnest. We look the length of fences for surges, rents and gaps. We imagine that as-yet-unbuilt wall to keep the neighbors at peace with our evening soirees or rising sun tai chi.

The variations on and reasons for outdoor walls are endless. Are we abutting the next house and craving a bit of privacy? Do we have a wide, flat lawn that would benefit from structural interest? Are we searching for a secret garden? Or do the sounds of the street need dulling?

For those seeking a softer solution than rigid chain link or fortress rock walls, hedges are an ideal alternative. A northern coniferous windbreak can lessen the winter winds on the garden and lower the heating bill. A dense vegetative hedge can mute the sound of busy thoroughfares. Fruiting thickets provide food, safety and shelter to birds and small animals and double as a "critter highway" for our four-footed friends.

Poet Robert Frost clearly lays out the initial concerns of fence buildingin "Mending Wall": "Before I built a wall I'd ask to know/ What I was walling in or walling out/ And to when I was like to give offence." If you're screening out your neighbors, maybe drop by to let them know your plans and show your concern for their half of the view. A few kind words before fencing them out goes acres in paranoia prevention, as simple as "We're creating a cozy breakfast nook for our 5 a.m. lattes outside our kitchen, and it happens to include a lilac hedge between our yards. I hope you don't mind. And feel free to pick the lilacs on your side for spring bouquets."

A more temporary fence around the garden can be made with twigs from apple tree prunings. Weave them together as pea sticks for the first flush of spring vegetables, or make a tight row of teepees for quick growing pole beans to create a spot of afternoon shade. Even a few staggered rows of tall growing sunflowers can create a wonderful wall. Such a fence might be a good way to "try out" an idea for a more permanent fence in the future.

Formal shorn hedges can be made from boxwood, privet, hornbeam or yew. These are quick, thick growing, easily shaped and dense bushes used in classic gardens. You can use them for straight walls to contain an herb garden or mazes in which to wander aimlessly about. If you desire a fence to keep out intruders, consider the prickles. Many varieties of shrub and hedge roses are ideal for creating a difficult barrier. Holly, quince, blackberries and tightly planted yew all can be nearly impenetrable. For sheer beauty, a stand of lilac, curly willow, forsythia, honeysuckle, hibiscus or red twig dogwood are ideal. The various viburnums and dogwoods, elderberry and hazelnut provide autumn and winter food for small animals and birds. Evergreen windbreaks can be made from arborvitae, Norway spruce, white pine, cypress or rhododendron.

This is just a brief foray into the world of fences. Bushes and trees make a wonderful alternative to built structures; possibly the road less traveled? For quick fills, you can plant very close together with the intention of cutting out trees as they grow larger, or place fast-growing deciduous bushes within slower growing evergreens. The paths of walls are as open as your mind.

Miss Mara Vaughn is currently pondering fences for her yard. Send your thoughts or your gardening questions to This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it