| "Good fences make good neighbors," wrote a | | | | neighborhood for some ideas on how to use |
| beloved American poet decades ago. There is | | | | fencing in creative ways. |
| some truth in the idea that some of us function | | | | 3. Get the type of fencing that serves your |
| better when we know and respect common | | | | purposes. An invisible dog fence will help to keep |
| boundaries. This can be especially true when we | | | | your pets from wandering off the premises. But it |
| put up fences in our lawns and around our | | | | will not keep other dogs or animals from |
| property to keep trespassers out and the children | | | | approaching your dog. You may need a chain link |
| or pets in. Still, it's not easy choosing where to put | | | | fence to prevent other kids or pets from |
| up fencing, the type that will best fit a property, | | | | wandering over your lawn and perhaps doing |
| and the most effective for a particular purpose. | | | | damage or causing problems by digging up a |
| Here are a few tips that might help as you face | | | | flowerbed or chasing your cats. |
| this particular dilemma. | | | | 4. Decorative fencing adds attractive accents. |
| 1. Choose a style that meshes with your property | | | | Consider adding a wooden rail fence in just a |
| style. For example, if your home is a Victorian, | | | | corner of your yard as a focus point, perhaps |
| look for old-fashioned fencing designs that bring | | | | accented by clusters of daffodils or mums. A low |
| back the days of old, like a white picket style. | | | | vinyl picket fence makes a nice border along the |
| Instead of the painted wood framework that | | | | side of the garage or shed. Use your creativity |
| quickly peels and can easily rot, you can now get | | | | while shopping at lawn and garden stores or |
| vinyl fences that look like traditional wood but will | | | | browsing catalogs to select a useful or attractive |
| actually hold up much longer and require little | | | | fence that will add to your property's value. |
| maintenance. | | | | Fences can be functional or aesthetic in nature; it's |
| 2. Look for fencing that will fit your property | | | | really up to you. There are numerous styles, |
| structure. For example, even if you love wrought | | | | materials, and designs available today, and you |
| iron spikes, they may not look that great on your | | | | can shop online if you aren't able to get out to |
| country farmhouse lawn. Choose a design that | | | | the stores. Fencing all or part of your property |
| flows with the overall theme of your yard or | | | | can help to protect it, discourage intruders, and |
| lawn. You might want to get a few sample pieces | | | | make it attractive simultaneously. Don't overlook |
| and try them in various places of your open | | | | fencing options when planning next year's lawn or |
| space to see how they fit. Or check out images | | | | garden. |
| on the Internet and possibly drive around the | | | | |