While i'm here any suggestions for making a natural fence. I've had problems with breakins and unwanted foot traffic through my property. I have poison ivy on my yard and something i reacted to nastier maybe oak or sumach but i dunno. I was thinking blackberry and raspberry since those were here b4. I want a nice variety though, some fruit, some flowers, some useful plants (herbs, spices), but mainly deterrance. My property has been unmaintained for a few years now, but plenty of new growth, high trees, some decent sun at certain parts but mostly shady. Also a neighbor has horses :) It's about 1.5 acres and don't want to consider fencing it in too much money. Was thinking a few hedges for privacy where needed and those can be a nice barrier too. I'm on Long Island, New York, USA. I'm also kinda a noob, but learn quickly.
Animals and pedestrians have no difficulty penetrating new plantings, some people will even pull up and toss aside plants placed where they are used to walking. If you are going to establish a serious barrier, it will have to be something more assertive than plants. It's the same as controlling weeds with groundcover, you have to get the problem under control to get the planting (groundcover, hedge, whatever) to succeed. After the planting grows in and reaches a bigger size, then it can be used to provide relief from future problems. Cheaper, temporary fencing may be adequate to protect the plants enough for them to form a deterrence some years down the road. Rigid, spiny, vigorous plants like barberry, hawthorn and osage orange are typical choices.
Cool thank you. We r taking the conventional means to protect ourselves, new doors and windows, the house needed it anyway. We have an alarm now and r working on 24-hour computer surveilance to c how trafficked it really is. I think my mother makes it seem worse than it is. We made the house more visible to the neighbors too. Now to make it look good. I'm in zone 7 i think. I like the sound of Hawthorn. What would be a good genus or family to look at just offa the top of ur head, beside hawthorn's and the above i'm looking those up now. OK this is the extreme version of what i'm thinking, rent Minority Report. The old lady's property and that plant that bit Tom in the scene where he jumps over her wall. Just not as deadly but something to make them think twice. I am also a fan of fantasy books and art so think Minority Report meets Riverdale from LOTR, thats the goal anyway :)
Interesting yard you have. I have some of the same problems, but with a much smaller yard. There is no way to stop some one who realy wants into the yard, but it sounds like your house security is a step in the right direction. You are right about maintaining visibility with the neighbors and don't create places to hide. Motion lights are good to, lets you know when things are moving about, also helps when you garden at night. Obviously make it clear to any one you catch in youre yard they are not welcome & don't keep any thing they might want in the yard. Bottles are a big excuse to snoop around where I live. With the yard I move stuff around a lot. It is a work in progress and keeps any one on their toes who is using it to short cut. Compost can be placed in paths of travell as a quick and mobile road block. With that much property you must have a lot of branches and even thorn prunings to make temporary fence sculptures out of. Smelly house compost in places where people might try to hide, move compost around to keep it healthy. I use pavers and stone paths, retaining walls and stairs that I can move key connections to make the old path inacessible and keep it changing. Loose rock piles of garden rocks can be stock piled in areas where you want to stop people moving about. I even throw old potery and brocken plates in one area as a bit of a contemplation garden. The quickest hedge is a bay laural, if you espalier it and only promote growth in the direction you want. I would not recomend this unless you are going to maintain it they can grow to over 50' tall & send shoots underground. Ultimately if it is cared for it will get less unwanted visitors. The feel of a maintained yard will eventually encourage the right visitors or at least discourage abuse. Have fun and remember a garden is alive and is an ongoing way of life. Ian
