Living fences work wonders

A fence surrounding your property provides privacy and security. Or it simply delineates your backyard from your neighbor’s. But most fences don’t always do that in a way that is pleasing to the eye. Faded wood and miles of chain-link fencing can detract away from the most well-thought-out landscaping.

Unless, of course, your fence is a living fence; a boundary of green, growing plant life.

This weekend anyone interested in learning to create a living fence can attend a free workshop at the Spokane County Conservation District office.

“The term living fence really means anything that is growing, rather than the ordinary wood or vinyl fence,” Carol Albietz, president of The Green Zone, said. “It can be a rose hedge, shrubs or even small trees planted close together.”

The beauty of a living fence is that it is a growing, living addition to the landscape. Not an eyesore.

“We’re hoping that the public will be interested enough to learn to do this at their own home,” Albietz said. “Then birds, wildlife, their neighbors and the neighborhood will benefit.”