12 Delightfully Different Garden Walls and Fences

You know the usual barriers well — the ones made of wood, brick, vinyl and chain link — but now it’s time to meet their more alternative friends. Here are 12 fences and walls that are creative and functional; they’re barrier solutions full of personality.

1. A sculptural fence. Cor-Ten steel blades (300 of them) make up this sculptural fence that winds around a Philadelphia residence. They’re 8 feet tall, which keeps out local deer, so the fence “is sculptural as well as functional,” says Bridget O’Brien of Archer & Buchanan Architecture. A sculptural fence comes with a high price, but for the right home, it can be the perfect custom touch.


2. Poured concrete walls. For these retaining (and climbing) walls, rough-cut 2-by-4s used to form the poured concrete have left their imprints on the surface. For walls like this, the concrete adopts the grain of the wood, so after it dries and the boards come down, there is an intermingling of elements — a natural wood grain set in solid concrete.


3. A mixed-materials fence. This glass, steel and wood fence incorporates three materials into a unified design. Architect Tim Cuppett says that the key element in bringing different materials together is that they “all reflect the same pattern and rhythm.”


On this fence sandblasted glass panels secured in a steel frame light up with LED lights for a colorful display. During the day the glass offers privacy, and at night it adds a spark of color to this fire pit.


4. A fence and a hedge. For this back wall, English laurel hedges extend beyond a thin cedar wall. Since fencing ordinances typically prevent a fence higher than 6 feet, a large hedge can be a great way to add privacy to a yard. Chauncey Freeman of Fifth Season Landscape Design also notes that the dark color of the cedar along with the hedge’s green creates a calming effect.



For this hedge the fence is hidden inside. A wire fence, installed to meet the pool code, is embedded in the thick privet, creating both security and privacy. Brian J. Mahoney of Lear & Mahoney Landscape says that hedges are “a great way to hide an otherwise ugly but required fence.” But beware of maintenance — while the pictured privet is relatively cheap to plant, the maintenance, including triannual shearing, can be costly.


5. A gabion wall. Hilfiker gabion baskets filled with river rock cobblestone make up this wall. Darwin Webb, the landscape architect for the project, put a sealer on the rocks to saturate and bring out the full color in the stone. Gabion walls give the space a modern feel while still highlighting natural elements.

See more on gabion walls



6. A recycled-materials fence. Great fences can come from the materials at hand. For this one Gary Kernick asked a local tree company for some spare birch, and the company gave him these sections for free. He tied them on metal wire panels “with fishing line for longevity,” he says, and “old hammock rope for an organic look.”


7. Metal panels. Sheets of corrugated steel, installed either vertically or horizontally, give a yard an industrial feel. They also offer great privacy. To soften the full-metal look here, a small collection of plants was planted in the middle of the fence.


Solid-panel Cor-Ten steel gives this barrier a dramatic texture. The fence received a saltwater spray-down after installation to speed the oxidization process. The fence works as a contrasting backdrop for the fire pit in the foreground, and also offers privacy from the neighbors.

See a primer on using Cor-Ten in your landscape


8. A living wall. Succulents hang in patterns on this Beverly Hills, California, wall. The plants were grown offsite, then installed into a panel system with an integrated irrigation system.

Scott Hutcheon of Seasons Landscaping says his team designed the wall to “soften up the look and feel of an auto courtyard”; it gives what would otherwise be solid concrete a natural touch.


A smaller-scale installation works for this very vertical backyard. Michelle Bond of Thumbellina Gardens chose the wall because it “offers the most visual impact in the least amount of space,” she says.

11 Inspiring Vertical Gardens


9. A ha-ha wall. A ha-ha wall is designed to preserve clean views while creating a distinct barrier to help keep out animals. It’s named after the (amusing) moment when someone approaching the wall sees there’s a barrier. Here the wall is made of Massachusetts Goshen stone, and it helps create a clear view from the upper section while deterring wildlife.


10. Solid wood panels. Solid wood panels give this fence a distinctly modern touch. Added on top of a poured concrete wall, they create extra privacy and put the smooth wood grain on full display.


11. Trees in a row. Beyond this pool, stacked fieldstone makes up a knee wall for aesthetics and Emerald Green arborvitae trees rise for privacy. To meet the pool code, there is a black vinyl-coated welded wire mesh fence behind the trees, but, as John R. Conte says, it disappears into the foliage. Like a hedge, a tree line can be a great way to extend vertical privacy.


12. Fun alternatives. This fence is made from clear acrylic posts full of bubbles. The posts are anchored below a synthetic lawn, offering a playful surrounding for the pool while giving a subtle nod to the splashing enjoyed inside it.

Tell us: What is your favorite fun, creative fence or wall?

Coming next: 7 questions to help you think about your front-yard fence

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