Garden walls and fences: what to know

Whether you decide on a wooden fence or a unique garden wall, a striking boundary will protect your home and enhance its style credentials.

Timber fences, metal screens and stone walls ensure privacy, reduce noise and act as a wind break. Selecting the right design will enhance the look of your outdoor space and may add value to your home.

You will need to seek planning permission for any boundary more than two metres high or a metre high when adjacent to a highway, while walls higher than 1.2 metres should be specified by a structural engineer.

Create a sound barrier

If your garden is next to a noisy road, school or shopping area, acoustic fencing will help reduce sound levels.

There are two main types to choose from: dense timber boards with no gaps between them, which act as a barrier to deflect noise; or absorption panels that have a central core filled with mineral wool covered with a geotextile membrane.

Use either one in combination with dense planting for the most effective result.

Wooden fences

Good quality timber fences will last for a decade or more and suit a wide variety of garden styles. Pressure-treated softwood panels are a budget option, while oak and western red cedar are the most durable. Look for labelling that indicates the timber is responsibly sourced.

Solid board or panel designs offer complete privacy and greater noise reduction than more decorative options. Horizontal slatted styles create bands of light and shade and are useful when fitted on top of solid walls, where they offer privacy without blocking out the sunlight.

Solid garden walls

The size and height of the wall you need, and your budget, will influence your choice of material, whether brick, natural stone, reconstituted stone, rendered blockwork or poured concrete.

New or reclaimed natural stone, such as sandstone and limestone, may be expensive, costing from around £250 per square metre, but it’s also durable, low maintenance and can be laid dry or with mortar for a range of design options.

Living walls

Woven willow or hazel hurdles, or sweet chestnut post-and-rail fences are crafted from sustainable sources and give a charming rustic look. They can be curved to fit unusual-shaped gardens.

For a robust boundary, rather than a purely decorative screen, seek advice from a specialist supplier who will create a long lasting bespoke solution for your garden.