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About Marc Chapelle, ASLA
Expertise
As a licensed Landscape Architect, I am available to answer general questions about style and design, ideas and suggestions for site amenities, larger site-planning issues, or recreational and park design. I prefer you ask somebody else why your petunias are not as perky as they should be...I'd LOVE to tell you how can use those petunias to increase your home's value!
Experience
Member, American Society of Landscape Architects(ALSA); My clients are mostly contractors, developers and local civil engineering/architecture firms, plus the occasional homeowner. I am currently located in the dry Great Basin area (Reno/Sparks), so use of landscape materials OTHER than plants is emphasized. As a licensed Landscape Architect on the East and West Coasts, I have been in practice over 18 years. My website: DesertLA.com
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You are here: Experts > Home/Garden > Exterior Decorating > Landscaping & Design > NEED HELP PRIVACY
Expert: Marc Chapelle, ASLA - 8/3/2008
Question
Marc
Hi, I live in New York and my neighbor has a horse, their
property is close to mine. I dont want to put a fence up
but use plants instead. There are a number of trees so
I dont have tons of sun light. I also put up some Hemlocks
but this is not working. Is there anything that you could recommend that would help on giving me privicy without spending tons of money.
Please help
thanks
Ken
Answer
HEMLOCK is poisonous to horses!! It contains an alkaloid that attacks their nervous system. It can be fatal, so keep it away from your neighbor's horse(s) at all cost, unless you want to buy them new animal.
Same goes for Yew, Oak, Locust, Walnut, Red Maple, Persimmon, & Russian Olive. For a list of trees and plants to avoid around horses, go to:
http://www.coopext.colostate.edu/boulder/AG/Plants%20Poisonous%20to%20Horses%202...
Are these "free range" horses? In older parts of the U.S. (the Commonwealths and colonial states), the property owner is sometimes responsible for keeping animals off his/her land (designated "fence out" or "fence in" communities; usually by county). Sounds like your situation. Here in Nevada, we have wandering wild Mustangs that are worse than slugs at killing gardens! In open country it is a challenge to keep them out.
I could give you lots of ideas - none that are cheap. If you want to use trees/shrubs, they simply are NOT going to keep a 1/2-ton animal out of your yard, unless you plant them thick and big - and I mean BIG. And if it is hungry for your petunias, a wimpy stick of a tree isn't going to slow it down.
What is a fence anyway, but a row of dead tree stumps and a bit of wire or boards? I would ask the neighbor to string up a "hot wire" or electric fence. They are not that expensive. If they refuse, it may be time for a fence. There are lots of attactive options that don't have to be the white-boarded "Derby Downs" look. Use black wooden posts & light gage wire, or a low ditch along the property with split-rail on top. Metal T-posts with wire can also be painted to match the local fauna (green or brown).
Add some trees & shrubs to these, and you won't notice them as much.
If you neighbor is such a stinker, give them the "ugly" side of the fence.
Sorry for being the bearer of bad news. ~M
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