...just for info - the idea that ivy dries out the fence panels and makes them brittle is erroneous. The fence panels will be made of seasoned ie; dry wood.
The ivy could however (as I think previously mentioned) keep the panels damp which could cause them to rot more quickly.
Someone in my garden group has a very similar situation with a long wooden fence that faces on to a pavement, abutting a park. She has gone for virginia creeper. It works very well and hangs in a long fringe of the whole fence. She trims it back a foot or two from the ground. The leaves do drop in the autumn, but the winter fringe covers the fence (in maturity) and keeps off any temptations to graffitists. The red leaves and berries create beautiful art and fence lights up our area. A local attraction. I think it's a great choice. [I would just note that VG leaves only go red if they get a lot of sun through the summer. If growing in a shaded alley etc, they won't turn, though might have the same effect otherwise.]
You might need to prune it to suit your design needs. It grows pretty fast, esp if you put in a few plants on your side and it's happy. You can train them over the fence to create a curtain.
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Ivy can grow through the fence forcefully and damage it. It can be hard to get it off too in places that you don't want it.
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This is my neighbour's fence. Seems like a win-win-win to me.
I assume the fence is there as the boundary marker for your property and to provide privacy in the garden? Is it worth considering treating the fence as a temporary structure and planting a hedge on your side? After a few years when the hedge is tall and thick enough you can do away with the wooden fence panels all together. I would put in a metal chain link fence between the new hedge and the fence. The hedge will grow through and hide it but it will provide a barrier to any ne'er do well trying to push through a juvenile hedge.
This is a long term solution rather than a quick fix and will take a few years to achieve -but it could be a permanent one. It sounds as though the issues with the fence could be a permanent one too - probably depends on whether you think you'll be staying in this property long term.
Edited to add: Ooh a load of additional posts have appeared since I started thinking / typing....
Thank you for the ideas. To be honest I don’t see this as a forever home. Otherwise I would do as you say and I have considered that option - I’ve got as far with the planning as watching videos on how to take out concrete fence posts! As mentioned on another reply this is what the previous owners should have done in my opinion many years ago, but we are where we are now.
I assume the fence is there as the boundary marker for your property and to provide privacy in the garden? Is it worth considering treating the fence as a temporary structure and planting a hedge on your side? After a few years when the hedge is tall and thick enough you can do away with the wooden fence panels all together. I would put in a metal chain link fence between the new hedge and the fence. The hedge will grow through and hide it but it will provide a barrier to any ne'er do well trying to push through a juvenile hedge.
This is a long term solution rather than a quick fix and will take a few years to achieve -but it could be a permanent one. It sounds as though the issues with the fence could be a permanent one too - probably depends on whether you think you'll be staying in this property long term.
Edited to add: Ooh a load of additional posts have appeared since I started thinking / typing....
Thank you for the ideas. To be honest I don’t see this as a forever home. Otherwise I would do as you say and I have considered that option - I’ve got as far with the planning as watching videos on how to take out concrete fence posts! As mentioned on another reply this is what the previous owners should have done in my opinion many years ago, but we are where we are now.
@tsp, If you have an inside hedge of rugosa roses, might it be possible to encourage a few shoots to grow through your slatted fence? it's quite prickly so might deter any little blighters from getting too near.
I think your existing hedge might make it difficult to establish any new climbers.
Finally, I think you may be worrying unnecessarily. Unless you already have had instances of damage or graffiti (which you won't see anyway from inside the garden), you could be trying to anticipate a problem which might not happen.
Thank you. I agree I might be worrying about nothing, but when we bought the property one old fence panel had very faint historic graffiti on it, and a few weeks ago some oik kicked in another old panel at 15:30 in broad daylight while I was outside on my drive (they couldn’t see or hear me due to the layout of the property). Isolated incidents I know, and my wife is of the view I am worrying about nothing (or at least worrying about not a lot).
The roses are planted a good foot or more from the fence line so I would think if I staggered any other climbers and planted under the middle of the gravel boards they might be ok, but I note the competition is not ideal.
...just for info - the idea that ivy dries out the fence panels and makes them brittle is erroneous. The fence panels will be made of seasoned ie; dry wood.
The ivy could however (as I think previously mentioned) keep the panels damp which could cause them to rot more quickly.
Thank you. I’m going off the words of my fencing guy, he’s always going on about ivy and drying panels out. Given I still have five panels to replace and all are covered on ivy and very brittle there might be something in this theory, but I note the words of caution.
Check the wording on your buildings insurance policy - your fencing may be covered for vandalism as well as the normal storm damage. If not, consider changing your policy when it is next up for renewal. As long as the fence and planting looks good on your side, I wouldn't worry about the other side. Something like a climber growing over the fence, spikes or security paint will only attract the wrong kind of attention.
I agree it’s a risk and could draw attention where there previously wasn’t any. This is why I have begun replacing the panels periodically rather than doing them all in one go as I thought that would only make it more obvious! Thank you for your comment.
I didn't mean the anti-vandal paint, the non-drying stuff that gets on people who might try to climb the fence, I meant the anti-graffiti stuff (as in the link, others probably available) that stops paint etc from sticking and marking permanently. It wouldn't stop people trying to graffiti the fence, but it should make it easier to clean off.
In any case it's only a suggestion for @tsp to consider.
Thank you. This has crossed my mind. It is expensive and given the cost and time needed I wonder if - assuming I just leave the panels as they are - it is more cost effective to just replace any vandalised panels should that even happen. I am also assuming in this situation the vandals would stick to just one panel, which is rather optimistic, perhaps.
I can understand why you feel threatened and worried @tsp. It's not a nice feeling thinking that your property is being targeted in any way. The behaviour of some yobs is depressing. I have a long boundary here, and have had bother with them chucking bottles into the end section where I have conifers and a pine tree etc, although the biggest problem I now have is the dog sh*t bags being thrown into the narrow border to the outside of the fence -a few feet from the warning sign about lifting it I have a mix of ivy and pyracantha which all grows through from the inside - maybe I shouldn't have bothered, as it means the bags are hidden from view, but they'd probably chuck them somewhere else instead. At least it stops them climbing on the postie's box where the sign is. The ivy in my experience actually helps prevent rot, as the rain doesn't get through it easily, either to the fence or the posts. I live in the wettest part of the UK, so we're not exactly known for dry conditions Perhaps just making your presence known whenever you can, and adopting a few ideas suggested here, will put your mind at rest. I'd go with letting the rugosa spill through - I see @Lizzie27 suggested that too. Just play dumb if you get any nonsense.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I stupidly planted a Russian vine some years ago. I say stupidly because I now can’t get rid of it , it covers my fence , next doors fence , the pine trees 2 doors down and it’s still growing . one of those would do the trick for you if you really want to cover the fence , but beware unless your neighbours are like mine and find it’s mad growth funny .
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I have a long boundary here, and have had bother with them chucking bottles into the end section where I have conifers and a pine tree etc, although the biggest problem I now have is the dog sh*t bags being thrown into the narrow border to the outside of the fence -a few feet from the warning sign about lifting it
I have a mix of ivy and pyracantha which all grows through from the inside - maybe I shouldn't have bothered, as it means the bags are hidden from view, but they'd probably chuck them somewhere else instead. At least it stops them climbing on the postie's box where the sign is.
The ivy in my experience actually helps prevent rot, as the rain doesn't get through it easily, either to the fence or the posts. I live in the wettest part of the UK, so we're not exactly known for dry conditions
Perhaps just making your presence known whenever you can, and adopting a few ideas suggested here, will put your mind at rest. I'd go with letting the rugosa spill through - I see @Lizzie27 suggested that too. Just play dumb if you get any nonsense.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
one of those would do the trick for you if you really want to cover the fence , but beware unless your neighbours are like mine and find it’s mad growth funny .