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Martin Brown[_2_] · 13-09-2018, 01:49 PM posted to uk.rec.gardening

On 13/09/2018 12:28, wrote:
On Sunday, 15 April 2001 19:33:16 UTC+1, John Neale Baraclough
wrote:
The message from "Nicola
Taylor" contains these words:

Hi, can anyone help two non-gardeners here in the NW Highlands of
Scotland, please? We need to disguise a rather ugly wooden fence
(3' high), perhaps with a climber. Trouble is, the flippin' sheep
wander all over the place here and eat just about everything. Any
suggestions for sheep-resistant plants gratefully received.

Pyracantha or hawthorn might be up to it. Likewise berberis. But be
careful what you wish for since for sheep/goats not to eat it it needs
to be stock proof which translates to tough and very very spiny. The
cows will happily eat our brambles and holly. They are much less keen om
stuff with 1" rigid spines. I use chrome leather gloves to prune it.

Although we have a nominally stockproof fence I know for a fact that it
would not stop a suitably motivated cow. I chased an invading herd out
of the VH patio garden once and a couple cleared a 5 bar fence with no
problem at all - the others went out through the gate!

I suggest you try gorse. It's evergreen, tough, sheep proof, and
it flowers. Clipped tight it makes a superb hedge; there used to be
one just at the entrance to Inverewe gardens. Please read the
charter about posting advertisements on this ng.

Janet

quest, though am looking for a cascading plant to cover a very ugly
wall which the sheep will not eat! I have had to pay £500 to fence
my front garden because of sheep, it makes me angry, I do not see why
I should have to pay this, the crofters who let their sheep just roam
should pay for fencing our gardens against their marauding sheep!!

Ivy or Russian Vine ought to do it. But again be careful what you wish
for - the solution may be more work and worse than the original problem.

I think you will find that the crofters were there first and you are
obliged to maintain a boundary fence to keep stock from straying onto
your property. This is especially important if you have any really toxic
plants like yew or daphnes that might kill an animal that ate it.

--
Regards,
Martin Brown