How to Landscape With Chain-Link Fencing

One of the biggest complaints people have about chain-link fencing is how unattractive it is. Despite the safety it provides for pets and children, chain-link fencing around your home can create a sterile look. You can spice up your chain-link fence with landscaping and add life and beauty to your yard.

Things You'll Need

• Vines
• Roses
• Bamboo
• Shrubs

Instructions

1. Visit your local home and garden center and check for evergreen vine plants. Ivy, wisteria and trumpet vine crawl and cling, often taking over the structure they are climbing. Vine plants add a natural look to chain-link fencing as they loop and grow.

2. Plant rose bushes, which also have a tendency to cling to structures and trellises. When the flowers bloom, their colorful petals will distract passersby from the fence.

3. Add shocks of clumping bamboo in front of your chain-link fence. Clumping bamboo sprouts high as it grows, creating an airy, atmospheric look as it sways in the breeze.

4. Line the fencing with shrubs and hedges. You may be able to find varieties that grow tall enough that they will eventually block the view of your chain-link fence. Dogwood and hydrangea are flowering shrubs that will draw attention away from your fence.

5. Accent the plant life in front of your fence with mulch. Mulching the plants will offer a clean, well-cared-for look and contribute to weed maintenance.

Tips & Warnings

• When using vine plants with fencing, it is important to consider the difficulty of removing a vine from the fence. Make sure the look you are going for is permanent if you opt to use vines.

References

• Garden Web
• All About Lawns
• Dave's Garden