Although their primary functions are to keep people and animals out (or in) and to provide a sense of security, boundaries can also serve a number of other purposes in your garden. They can be used to delineate the limits of your property, provide shelter from wind, noise and pollution, offer a visual barrier preventing people from looking into the garden or by blocking unattractive views, or to make up part of the design framework.

You need to consider the particular type of hedging, fencing, screening or walling that would best surround your plot, whilst fitting in with the overall design of the garden. You will have a huge range of boundary materials to choose from, and it is important to ensure that these materials are compatible with both the style of the house and with its surroundings. For example, whilst wrought or cast iron railings would be effective in a formal or urban setting, they would be less fitting in a country cottage garden.

In this section, we take a look at all your boundary options, including advice on erecting and maintaining a fence, making trellis and building a wall.