Ideal Bite: White Picket Picketing

Apr 10, 2008 BANG FOR THE BITE You do have to wait for the fence to grow in, and it might require some tending to maintain, but they've got the look, last for decades, and are eco-friendlier too. COCKTAIL FACTOID Early U.S. settlers claimed land just by fencing it in. LIKE THIS TIP? Then check out . . . The Patio Furniture Tip The Xeriscape Tip RATE THIS TIP How useful is this tip? (5 is the highest) 1 2 3 4 5 Wanna cross the white picket line? The Bite Go on, be a scab. Hedge the white picket fence and go for a living one - a natural wall for privacy around your yard made from live shrubs, trees, or bamboo - and form a union with wildlife and CO2 absorbers alike. The Benefits One-of-a-kind looks. Your living fence is bound to be more unique than some of the wrought-iron snoozefests in your neighborhood. And deciduous tree fences change colors with the seasons. Letting in the wildlife. Plants attract birds and beneficial insects such as butterflies. Chain-link? Not so much. More CO2-eaters. In case you missed the memo, dead-wood fences don't absorb pollutants the way live ones do. Privacy. You can still walk around naked in your backyard. Personally Speaking Jenifer has a little living bamboo fence on her desk in the SF office, so it's harder for Toshio to make faces at her. Wanna Try? Visit your Local Nursery - ask about native plants that would make good barriers for your yard. Bamboo Fencer - its FAQ has info on live- and cut-bamboo barriers. Be careful, though - some types of bamboo can take over a yard, so be sure to consult an expert to choose the right varietal for your area. Mother Earth News - primer on living fences with shrub and tree suggestions. Enter to win $200 at KaiaHouse.com by inviting your non-Biter friends to join Ideal Bite in the next 24 hours - smaller pool, bigger chances.      Sponsor

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