Garden walls and fence ideas
Selecting the right boundary design will enhance the look of your outdoor space
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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.
Photo: Harrington Porter
Garden wall and fence design ideas
There are plenty of ways to create a garden boundary, depending on what your priorities are within your outdoor space.
Here, we have explored some of the most popular ideas of the moment.
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.
Photo: Harrington Porter
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.
Photo: CED Stone
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.
Photo: Barbara Samitier Gardens
How much to build a garden wall?
The cost of building a garden wall depends on the desired height, length, thickness and choice of materials.
You can expect to pay around £1,000 for a standard brick wall on average but it’s quite difficult to tell without knowing the size, material choice and desired height and thickness.
According to Checkatrade, a single skin wall (1m x 4m) would cost around £825 and take around one or two day’s work, while for a stone garden wall (1m x 12m) can cost between £1140 and £2160.
These are rough estimates and we would always recommend contacting a few professionals to give you quotes and to ensure you get the best possible job done.
How can I check my garden boundaries?
Garden boundaries can be a tricky issue with neighbours, so it’s important to work out where your garden boundaries are as soon as you move into a property.
It’s also essential to do so before you do any work on boundaries within your outdoor space.
According to gov.uk, if you live in England or Wales there’s usually no record of the exact boundary between two properties, or who owns the hedge, wall, tree or fence between two properties.
However, you can usually find the boundaries of your property by looking at the title plan or land registry.
If you want to record a garden boundary more precisely, you can make an agreement with your neighbour, or apply for a determined boundary.
You can find out more about applying for firm property boundaries here.
Which side of garden boundary am I responsible for?
This is another tricky issue when it comes to neighbour relations.
If a shared fence or wall is damaged, who needs to pay for repairs or replacement?
Often, if relations are amicable you can simply split the cost, but sometimes that isn’t the case – ultimately, a garden boundary needs to be repaired or replaced so a solution must be obtained.
There is a common belief that the fence to the left, as you look into the garden, is your responsibility. This isn’t always the case though.
The fences themselves can give you a clue, typically there is a good side (smooth with no posts) and a bad side (extra posts).
If the good side faces your garden, it’s usually yours – but again there’s no guarantee of this.
If you own your property, you can check the deeds and title plan.
The deeds will show legal ownership of the property, while the title plan is a map showing the general position of its boundaries.
If you can’t find them, contact the solicitor that did your conveyancing work or contact the HM Land Registry.
You can also find out whether a boundary agreement already exists.
Garden wall and fence decorations
Do you want to give your garden wall or fence a makeover ready for the warmer weather?
We’ve rounded up some of our favourite decorations to pimp yours up, giving your garden boundaries a fresh look without the expense of a new garden wall or fence.
Add a little light
Festoon lights make everything look pretty, and they elevate garden spaces beautifully.
Drape or hang a set along the top of your fence or wall and it’ll instantly breathe more life into it.
It’s a great way to add more outdoor lighting to your garden ready for evenings spent outside, too.
Photo: Sparkle Lighting
- 10m drop bulb festoon lights, £79.95 from Sparkle Lighting – buy here
Pimp your panels
Add a bit of intrigue to your fence with these quirky fence panels.
Breaking up the typical panelled look, they’ll make your garden stand out in the best way.
It’s also a great idea if you have a damaged panel to mix things up a bit instead of potentially replacing the whole of the fence.
Photo: B&Q
- Klikstrom Neva Contemporary Taupe Metal 1/2 fence panel (W)0.88m (H)1.79m, £205 from B&Q – buy here
Beautiful bunting
A quick and easy way to lift the appearance of your garden fence or wall is to add some bunting.
It’s easy to get hold of, easy to hang up, and instantly brings a seasonal style to your outdoor space.
Bunting is usually pretty weather-proof too, provided it’s secured well, so you can leave it up for the duration of the season. Just keep in mind it may need to be washed or replaced at the end of it.
Photo: Talking Tables
- Orange & Pink paisley fabric bunting 3m, £25 from Talking Tables – buy here
Happy place
Show everyone how much you love your garden area with this stunning corten steel sign.
It’s hung by rope and simplistic style means it will look wonderful against any fence or garden wall backdrop.
It measures 400mm so is perfect size to decorate your garden boundaries.
Photo: Lisa Sarah Designs
- Happy Place corten sign, £80.31 from Lisa Sarah Designs – buy here
Red deer hook
This red deer hook will add practicality and design perks to your garden boundary.
It’s quirky but pretty, and can be used to hang a garden blanket, coat or swimming costumes after a paddling pool session – or alternatively, it could be used to hang gardening tools ready for your next potting or weeding session.
It’s available in other animal designs, so you could have a whole set for the family.
Photo: The Design Gift Shop
- Wildlife garden hook red deer, £23.70 from The Design Gift Shop – buy here
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