Fence Vs hedge

sevenhills

There seems to be a trend towards concrete n wood fences. As this is a money saving site, which is cheapest, in the long run?
Despite hedges needed cutting, surely they must be more environmentally friendly.
My front wooden fence was fitted by the council nine years ago, still ok, but I don't expect it to last more than a few more years.
So thinking about planting a hedge now.

400ixl

A hedge will be cheaper, but will take several years to reach a decent height and will need trimming twice a year.

A decent fence with panels which have been pressure treated and using concrete posts / base boards will last 20+ years with no maintenance. Cheaper dipped panels will last 15 years with regular re-treatment.

twopenny

Fence panels are ugly. They blow down in wind and can be kicked in or broken with a well aimed football. People climbe over fence panels.
A hedge is a roosting/nesting site for birds, if it flowers butterflies and bees or insects for the birds. It doesn't come down in wind, you can't climb over it and it can reduce traffic noise.

I've had both in one garden and found the panels were the things that needed attention.

FreeBear

400ixl said:

A hedge will be cheaper, but will take several years to reach a decent height and will need trimming twice a year.

A decent fence with panels which have been pressure treated and using concrete posts / base boards will last 20+ years with no maintenance. Cheaper dipped panels will last 15 years with regular re-treatment.

Got a hedge of myrtle growing out front. It has taken well over ten years to bush out and look half decent. Once a year, I'll get the chainsaw out and prune it to height and back from the path.

The fence that I put in a few years back (concrete posts & gravel boards) should outlast me. Zero maintenance, and if a panel does fall to bits, easy enough to slot a new one in.

Dustyevsky

There are no absolutes. Like everything, the qualities of what is installed / planted governs the result.

The wrong hedge in a specific situation may fail. Low quality fence panels will have a  short life, or better ones might be inappropriate to the location, installed badly etc.

Andy_L

Dustyevsky said:

There are no absolutes. Like everything, the qualities of what is installed / planted governs the result.

The wrong hedge in a specific situation may fail. Low quality fence panels will have a  short life, or better ones might be inappropriate to the location, installed badly etc.

and there may be covenants in the house deeds or local planning restrictions that mandate/ban one or the other

Slinky

Fences are narrower and lose less space in a small garden.  The one we installed in 1995 was still going strong in 2019 when we sold the house.  Repainted it with creocote (not creosote) about every 3rd year.

sheramber

twopenny said:

Fence panels are ugly. They blow down in wind and can be kicked in or broken with a well aimed football. People climbe over fence panels.
A hedge is a roosting/nesting site for birds, if it flowers butterflies and bees or insects for the birds. It doesn't come down in wind, you can't climb over it and it can reduce traffic noise.

I've had both in one garden and found the panels were the things that needed attention.

You can cut a hole in a hedge or, depending on how close growing it is, you could push your way through.

Teapot55

I’d guess from a local authority point of view the presence of a fence, to an extent, prevents hedges being grown too close to the pavement and possibly causing a hazard to those with sight loss or to people having to step into the road. 

That’s a ‘soft’ financial bonus I guess to all concerned. 

ka7e

The main problem with planting a hedge in front of an existing fence, is that there will be little green growth on the fence side, just bare branches. If you remove the fence first you will have to wait a couple of years before you have any substantial growth and a few years more before you get a decent barrier.

I have planted hedges in my garden to divide different areas as well as on boundries and after 3 years I have a 4ft high cotoneaster hedge and 3ft copper beech and briar rose. A hedge of mixed wildlife-friendly trees is over 6ft in parts.

ArbitraryRandom

As a compromise you could have a fence then train something against it for the bees/birds.