While fencing generally accomplishes two primary purposes, security and privacy, they are also a natural design element you can use to add accent and detail to your overall landscape plan.

Fencing, like other hardscapes (the fixed, non-growing elements of your residential or commercial landscape design are called), should fit your overall design vision and theme. Spanish colonial architecture is better matched to wrought iron than chain link fencing, while contemporary metal fencing best complements a modern urban residence.

Offering beauty and privacy a hedge adds seclusion to a garden gazebo.

Depending on your needs and preferences, fencing can deaden highway sounds, promote a sense of intimate privacy, and offer security and protection.

You can literally create a microclimate by selecting solid fencing materials to direct wind or add sun or shade where needed to help particular plants and trees thrive.

Here are some popular fencing ideas:

Wood Fences

Wood fencing covers nearly endless possibilities. Manufactured redwood or cedar fence panels, sold in either 4-foot or 6-foot heights, go up quickly, ensuring privacy and noise reduction on small lots with close neighbors. On the other extreme is split rail fencing, the minimalist’s fence; in between are lattice, picket, post, stockade, and rail fencing. One beach community resident chose redwood for its natural beauty and ease of construction.

Arts & Crafts revival look thin wood rail fencing.

Three elements, post, rail and panels, make up most wooden fences. Vertical posts supply strength; horizontal rails align and make the fence rigid, while panels or boards provide the covering. Lattice fencing is more ornamental; it can be used as a canvas for flowering climbers and vines.

While wood fences go up easily, some see them as a less-than-finished barrier. That perception can be offset by the use of finials, or top caps. You can also add a finished look with masonry and brick uprights. Spaced at intervals, masonry lends not only a more permanent feel, they align wood fences more securely, reducing wood’s natural warping tendency.

Want a traditional look for your colonial or Victorian home? Choose a classic picket fence to add detail and textures to landscaped spaces.

Western homes are complemented by the classic frontier appeal of two-rail cedar fencing, utilizing split rails instead of finished lumber. Splitting rather than sawing exposes wood’s natural twists and textures.

Vinyl (PVC) fences

If you own a large property, PVC fencing may be the answer to your needs. Even though vinyl fencing costs more up front, it may be more economical over the long haul.

Many equestrian estate owners have traded the high maintenance of wood for rigid vinyl corral fences that don’t warp or split. Although vinyl fencing can be painted, none is required, and PVC fence components are available in white, tan, brown and a host of other colors.

Other types of PVC fence elements are made to resemble virtually every kind of wood, panel or metal fencing available. If your landscape plans include a children’s play yard, the lack of splinters and sharp edges makes PVC fencing especially attractive.

A downside to vinyl is that it becomes brittle in cold weather, losing much of its otherwise flexible qualities. When the mercury drops, a sharp blow or bump can shatter PVC fence material.

Sound deadening fences

If you have created your ideal landscape vision in order to enjoy your own private world, you may want to consider a noise barrier.

Heavy materials help provide the most effective buffering. Simply put, sound travels as waves through the air, so thick, heavy panels are needed to absorb the din of nearby schools, public transit or highways. Mass is the best sound dampener, so masonry walls will provide the best sound attenuation, but wood, specifically tongue-in-groove or continuous boards or panels, are also good choices.

You may require double-paneled fencing, or a commercially manufactured "sandwich" fence panel system to effectively block noise. Plants and trees can be an effective component in reducing noise; English Privet hedges or similar greenscaping will likewise complement your efforts.

Security fencing

Generally, chain link and iron or metal fencing provides the most effective and least costly security fencing.

A recommended minimum-security fence height is six feet and additional height or security components may offer added protection.

Iron security fence aids surveillance.

A Utah homeowner installed low-cost vinyl coated chain link fence to protect her kids from fast moving nearby traffic. In most areas, laws require dog and animal owners to maintain secure fences to protect their animals.

If landscape or property security is the goal, police suggest avoiding solid barriers, which can give a thief a place to hide. You probably do not really want the whole world enjoying your landscaped areas unbidden, so see-through barriers can be very effective in discouraging casual visitors, who may damage landscaping or remove plants or garden crops.

Chain link fencing is generally the least expensive security fence material, and law enforcement experts suggest no less than nine-gauge wire. Chain link is strong and physically difficult to scale, while affording a clear view.

Wrought iron fencing is more massive and more expensive, but it is also more attractive, especially when integrated with masonry uprights or the house structure itself. Picket points and decorative end-cap finials add a finished look that provides added functional security.

Green screens

Living barriers, while not true fences, can accomplish similar purposes.

Hedges, Privets, Bougainvillea, other dense shrubbery, and small trees add privacy and security, while shaping garden spaces.

For example, a California homeowner with a small lot planted bare-root English Privets to reduce noise associated with neighboring dog owners. Larger property owners have successfully used closely spaced, fast-growing Monterey Cyprus and Emerald Arbor Vitae for privacy and noise reduction.

Decks are exterior floored areas that offer a number of advantages over a simple lawn.

A deck is usually raised above ground level, and so are cooler, cleaner, and drier places to enjoy outdoor weather.

Integrating a new home into its surroundings is one area where a decking can do wonders, particularly if you’re considering a new manufactured home with above ground-level access.

Decks vary in shape and design, and can range from an intimate 100-square feet to extensive, multi-level platforms that interconnect.

Spas and swimming pools generally call for decking, simply because they keep surrounding areas cleaner, protecting pool filter systems and interior carpeting as people enjoy the poolside areas.

A deck requires some regular maintenance, but let’s face it, mowing grass and weeding can be a lot more time consuming. A shaded wood deck designed around low-water xeriscaping fits well in arid climates, saving homeowners the high cost of lawn maintenance and water in desert areas.

Although designing a deck is a somewhat complex process to integrate one into your outdoor environment, landscape designers can offer you a variety of looks and layouts.

Decks generally start with concrete bases, supporting vertical posts. Horizontal joists connect the posts and form a structural base for surface boards and railings. A simpler alternative to in-ground deck foundations are Dek-Blocks, which do not need excavation because they rest on the ground.

Local building codes generally specify heights up to three feet and require decks to be built separate from homes and structures. Cedar and redwood are the most common deck materials, but manmade products are gaining acceptance for their low maintenance and rot resistance.

Redwood

Although a softer wood, redwood is least affected by weather and rot, and its rich iron-red russet tones vary dramatically, accenting landscaped spaces with organic warmth. Although its color will fade with the years, an annual treatment with a waterproofing preservative can keep redwood looking good for a long time.

Cedar

Cedar heartwood is also an excellent choice, at a bit less cost. Like redwood, cedar is also reddish with varying light and dark tones and it benefits from an annual coating.

Almost any type of weathered wood deck can be restored by a variety of commercial deck cleaners and restorers available at home and hardware stores. Wood decks can be stained to match design and architecture. Using durable polymer deck paint can protect against sun and water damage.

Plastic

Vinyl and poly deck lumber is available in more colors than wood, but is more expensive. Environmentally, both alternatives are good ideas because most plastic lumber is made from recycled materials and scrap wood products. Potential advantages include rot resistance, and built-in sun protection. However, since plastic decks have not been around very long, manufacturers’ durability and weather resistance claims need to be proven.

Note that plastic lumber is not a structural material like wood, so it can only be used for railings and decorative areas. Only reinforced plastic lumber can be used as decking or joist support members; plastic lumber manufacturers have responded to this need with wood, fiberglass, or concrete reinforced lumber.

Trellises, arbors and pergolas can transform your landscaped spaces into true three-dimensional experiences.

Your landscape designer can offer suggestions on how they can add shape and perspective to garden areas. Mostly made by using cedar and treated wood, these design elements provide a natural habitat for climbing plants and vines.

An engineered concrete river rock wall brings rustic charm to a hillside home, while a vine-trained trellis adds to the privacy of the inner garden.

Arbors

A basic starter idea is the gateway arbor, an arched lattice-like structure that frames an entry path or sidewalk. Bougainvillea, roses and other climbing plants grow into and become part of an arbor, bringing shade and beauty to garden spaces and outdoor paths.

A simple framed gateway arbor of vertical beams and a horizontal lattice cap can be constructed in as little as two days. Arched arbors are also attractive, and design elements like carved finials and garden gates can be added.

Pergolas

Two arbors can be connected with an overhead lattice to create a simple pergola. Build both into your outdoor deck and you have a focal point for your landscaping. Pergolas, like arbors and trellises are naturals for hanging baskets and climbing plants. Decorate with winter holiday lights to create an outdoor show for guests, and if there is a garden wedding in your future, your pergola will provide a natural location.

Trellises Create a private getaway that is cool, secluded and located just a few steps from your back door. That’s the beauty of a trellis. Vines just love these ready-to-climb structures. Two posts, placed in the ground and connected with a running lattice overhead are the basic starting point. Combine two, add lattice strips on the sides and the top, place a garden table and chair within and you have an old-fashioned lattice house in which to sip an iced tea.