Which Is The Best Garden Fence On The UK Market?

Ah yes, nothing feels better than finally having all parts of your lawn in order. The grass is well mowed, the landscape is beautifully manicured and that garden – let’s just say its a few plants shy of Eden. Unfortunately, maintaining this picturesque lawn and garden is where the real work begins.

Trust me; gardeners have plenty to fear when it comes to protecting their plants.

Lots of gardeners in the UK will tell you that they’ve lost or had their entire gardens destroyed by unwanted wild animals. But that’s just a small percentage; the rest of us urban garden-patchers are constantly plagued by our own and neighbouring pets!

Try growing kale or hanging tomatoes when playful cats are always chewing at the leaves and playing tag with me’ tomatoes. And don’t even get me started on the endless digging and rummaging through my fragile peppermint nursery. Could just end these cute kitties if they weren’t so lovable.

Lucky for you, my misfortune translates into a wealth of fortune. In trying to keep all sorts of animals away from my garden, I’ve literally tried all the products and methods I could find. I know what works, and what doesn’t.

Last time, we looked at how to use high-frequency sounds to keep unwanted animals and critters away from your garden. These traps work great and all; but there’s only one real sure-fire way of keeping wild and domestic animals out of your prized garden: good old fencing.

When it comes to reliable, secure, and affordable, round the clock protection for your garden, nothing beats the best garden fence. A great fence will keep out some of the most prevalent intruders including rabbits, squirrels, deer, dogs, cats, raccoons, and many more. But in addition to security, a great fence should also provide privacy, screening, and attractive aesthetics.

I’ve scoured the entire market to find the best models that suit different needs.

1. Forest Garden Pressure Treated Superlap Fence Panel

 

If you’re looking for the ultimate strength, security, and privacy for your garden, then we might have something that closely fits that description. The Forest Garden Pressure Treated Superlap Fence Panel is a unique assembly that allows you to instantly set up almost 2-metre high perimeter around your garden.

This fence boasts of FSC certified timber construction with vertical battens for added strength. Wooden fences are a great natural option since not only is it the environmentally friendly solution, but it is also sustainable and affordable. The manufacturer made their product sustainable by using pressure treated timber that carries a 15-year guarantee against rot. And as an added bonus, you won’t have to keep on treating the wood every year.

What I like about it:

  • Vertical battens offer added strength
  • More privacy and security for the garden
  • FSC certified pressure treated timber construction

2. Green Blade PVC Coated Garden Fence

 

Are you looking for a way to keep the neighbourhood pets away from your garden without turning it into a quarantine site? Aren’t we all. The Green Blade PVC Coated Garden Fence lets you keep all the contents of your garden secure without cordoning off the area of blocking off the light.

The Green Blade PVC Coated Garden Fence boasts of heavy duty galvanized steel construction with a full year’s no quibble guarantee. But that’s not the best part. This robust wire fence is incredibly easy to form, trim, and install according to your required shape and size. NO need for concrete posts, support wires, or any other form of support. However, you can install a netting for further security.

What I like about it:

  • Heavy duty galvanized steel construction
  • Robust, rot proof and completely reusable
  • Ideal for enclosures, gardens, pet boundaries and pond protection

3. Forest Garden Featheredge Fence Panel

 

One of the most important functions that a fence performs is keeping prying eyes away from your plants and veggies. No matter how hungry an animal is, it will just walk past your garden if it can’t see what’s inside. But if you’ve left everything out in the open, then even a recently fed animal might just get in for the hell of it.

The Forest Garden Featheredge Fence Panel boasts of solid wood construction with one of the most attractive finishes I’ve ever seen. Looks aside, let’s see what else this bad boy has to offer. The manufacturer made use of tapered boards with a 10mm thick leading edge as well as two 45mm battens to ensure reinforced durability. Users can also look forward to the 10 years anti-rot guarantee.

What I like about it:

  • Comes in packs of 3
  • Aesthetic finish with factory applied surface treatment
  • Tapered board construction with double batten reinforcements

4. Set of Steel Path and Border Edging

 

Hey, it doesn’t have to be all fire and brimstone on your mind when you’re choosing a garden fence. Sometimes, all it takes is a gentle touch to get your affairs in order. If you’re looking for something that is as decorative as it is protective, then boy do we have the fence for you. The Steel Path and Border Edging from Gardman is just what the doctor ordered for anyone looking to create the ultimate attractive perimeter.

The Gardman garden fence boasts of steel construction with black plastic coating to give the fence a nice metallic glow while protecting the steel for a longer life-span. The lawn edging panels and border edging link together to make an attractive perimeter for your lawn or flower bed border. All you have to do is spike the units to the ground for easy installation.

What I like about it:

  • High quality plastic coated steel construction
  • Easy install ground spikes
  • Neat decorative touch that is perfect for flower borders

5. Waltons Horizontal Overlap Pre-Treated Wooden Garden Fence Panels

 

When it’s all said and done, it’s a bit tough to beat good old wooden fences. Not only do they give your garden the privacy it needs to flourish, they also create a natural, eye-catching look. Horizontal Overlap Pre-Treated Wooden Garden Fence Panels from Waltons are the ideal budget solution for anyone looking to safeguard their outdoor spaces.

With their horizontal overlapping arrangement, these fence panels naturally help with water runoff to keep the wood dry and strong. At 5 feet high, this garden fence is great for most applications such as keeping kids and pets away from your garden. Ad thanks to the high quality timber preservative, you get a valid 10-year ant-rot guarantee.

What I like about it:

  • 8mm Pine cladding construction
  • Extra bracing for additional reinforcement
  • Natural, aged wood aesthetic for your garden

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How high can a garden fence be without planning permission?

As a general rule, any fence over 2 metres high needs planning permission. Lower than that and it does not – unless the fence is to be erected next to a road or path used by vehicles.

You should definitely consult your local authorities when you are planning to build a fence, as other factors may affect the need for planning permission – whether your house is listed; if there are any existing planning conditions; or if the fence involved forms a boundary with a neighbour.

Q: What side of the garden fence are you responsible for?

These issues can cause rifts between neighbours and cause issues for many years. Because this can be a truly thorny issue, you should get hold of the property deeds so that you can be absolutely sure which side of the fence is your responsibility and which is your neighbour’s.

Q: What colour should I paint my fence to make my garden look bigger?

Pale colours tend to make small spaces look bigger. Thankfully there is a large range of outdoor paint that you can slather on your fence panels to create an illusion of more space in your garden – you can also try hanging mirrors and using climbing plants, to give the impression of a larger garden.

Q: How to keep rabbits out of garden fence?

The best way to stop these burrowing beasties is to dig some chicken wire under your fence, in a line directly down into the soil, to prevent them burrowing in.

You can also lay chicken wire on the surface of the ground on the other side of your fence, to stop them even digging into the soil in the first place. The fence does not need to be high, as rabbits aren’t great at jumping, just keeping the mesh below the ground should be enough.

You can also try adding smells that rabbits don’t like – any of the smells of their natural predators will put them off, so you could encourage your dog to pee on the fence, or, if this idea doesn’t sound appealing, why not head to your local gardening store and pick up some blood and bone meal – this popular plant tonic will also put off those furry invaders.

Humane traps are another good idea – just bear in mind that you will probably spend a lot of time driving rabbits around the countryside!

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