10 Beautiful Garden Fences and Walls
Define your outside space by taking design tips from these beguiling boundaries
Getting the right balance between privacy and an overbearing wall or fence is a tricky business. You need to consider your options from the outset, rather than switching your focus to finding a solution only after you’ve finished the garden.
If possible, it’s best to establish your boundaries (and who’s responsible for what) by looking at the house deeds and discussing issues with neighbours early on. Once you’re clear on the facts, you can get your fence installed or any walls built without damaging new planting. This will also give your garden chance to grow, softening the lines of any additions as early as next spring.
If possible, it’s best to establish your boundaries (and who’s responsible for what) by looking at the house deeds and discussing issues with neighbours early on. Once you’re clear on the facts, you can get your fence installed or any walls built without damaging new planting. This will also give your garden chance to grow, softening the lines of any additions as early as next spring.
Discover dry stone walls
The gentle curve of a pale Cotswold stone wall offsets naturalistic planting with ease. Here, a floating bench in the same timber as the deck has been incorporated into the wall’s construction, creating a perfect perch.
Browse more photos of country gardens
The gentle curve of a pale Cotswold stone wall offsets naturalistic planting with ease. Here, a floating bench in the same timber as the deck has been incorporated into the wall’s construction, creating a perfect perch.
Browse more photos of country gardens
Work one-colour wizardry
An all-grey palette lets lush greenery take centre stage in this courtyard retreat. By painting walls and fences the same shade – and choosing matching paving – the garden’s boundaries become one with the design.
Check out a gorgeous urban garden from the Chelsea Flower Show
An all-grey palette lets lush greenery take centre stage in this courtyard retreat. By painting walls and fences the same shade – and choosing matching paving – the garden’s boundaries become one with the design.
Check out a gorgeous urban garden from the Chelsea Flower Show
Go along with it
This Berkshire garden is all about a linear structure contrasted with natural planting. The horizontal, narrow-slatted cedar fence draws the eye down the garden, making it appear longer, while soft grasses break up the strict form.
This Berkshire garden is all about a linear structure contrasted with natural planting. The horizontal, narrow-slatted cedar fence draws the eye down the garden, making it appear longer, while soft grasses break up the strict form.
Up the stakes
Explore otherwise redundant vertical space in a small courtyard with high walls. Here, layers of wall-mounted troughs are filled to the brim with foliage to create a vertical garden. Outside lights on long arms ensure the display is just as stunning after hours.
Explore otherwise redundant vertical space in a small courtyard with high walls. Here, layers of wall-mounted troughs are filled to the brim with foliage to create a vertical garden. Outside lights on long arms ensure the display is just as stunning after hours.
Befriend blurred edges
Dark paints are de rigueur for exteriors this year, highlighting plants to perfection. Sultry shades also make walls recede: use deep grey, dark navy or black if you want to blur the divisions on bare blockwork or give a new lease of life to an old fence.
Dark paints are de rigueur for exteriors this year, highlighting plants to perfection. Sultry shades also make walls recede: use deep grey, dark navy or black if you want to blur the divisions on bare blockwork or give a new lease of life to an old fence.
Mimic Mediterranean magic
Raised rendered walls make use of all available space in this cute courtyard – there’s even an inset fire to warm up chilly evenings. Masses of lavender creates a fragrant oasis, while a pile of pallets, smartened up with a bespoke glass top, is used as a rustic table for the cosy corner bench.
Raised rendered walls make use of all available space in this cute courtyard – there’s even an inset fire to warm up chilly evenings. Masses of lavender creates a fragrant oasis, while a pile of pallets, smartened up with a bespoke glass top, is used as a rustic table for the cosy corner bench.
Admire beautiful brick
There’s little more pleasing than an old brick wall besieged by flowers and baked in the morning sun. This charming garden keeps things simple with hydrangea ‘Annabelle’ bushes and neat box balls in terracotta pots.
There’s little more pleasing than an old brick wall besieged by flowers and baked in the morning sun. This charming garden keeps things simple with hydrangea ‘Annabelle’ bushes and neat box balls in terracotta pots.
Create a corner
Get yourself somewhere to sit and let the gentle swish of grasses bring on a naughty (and totally involuntary) nap. Using the same material for the fence and sofa in this garden means maximum cohesion. Contrast comes in the form of climbers and other informal planting along the top of the bench, which balances the angular lines.
Get yourself somewhere to sit and let the gentle swish of grasses bring on a naughty (and totally involuntary) nap. Using the same material for the fence and sofa in this garden means maximum cohesion. Contrast comes in the form of climbers and other informal planting along the top of the bench, which balances the angular lines.
Encourage overgrowth
One of the best things you can do to boost the sense of being secluded among greenery and blooms in your garden is to obscure fences and walls with lots of planting. After all, who wants the boundaries of their space to get more attention than the flowers?
What sort of fence or wall does your garden have – and do you like it? Share your thoughts or photos in the Comments below.
One of the best things you can do to boost the sense of being secluded among greenery and blooms in your garden is to obscure fences and walls with lots of planting. After all, who wants the boundaries of their space to get more attention than the flowers?
What sort of fence or wall does your garden have – and do you like it? Share your thoughts or photos in the Comments below.
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A warm-toned cedar fence makes for a relaxed backdrop to this romantic outdoor space. By choosing wider wooden planks and leaving larger gaps between them, the effect is less graphic than narrower styles and more in keeping with this cottage-style planting.