Bees go to bed early and get up late.
Alwynne

"Loosecannon" wrote in message
...

Litl Fish wrote in message
...
Hi folks,

After having various items stolen from our front yard, the final straw
was
when 2 beautiful Washington Cotton palms were dug up one night. We'd
already
gotten sick of having the local drug dealer's clients using our tap to
fill
up their syringes - even after relocating the tap from the front of the
garden to the front of the house.-Now, don't get me wrong, if someone
wants
to fill a container of water for an overheated car, that's fine, it's
not
the water that's at issue ...... I just don't like junkies or thieves
coming
up my driveway.

Now we've decided to put up some kind of border. A fence seemed the
obvious
solution, although it would look ugly on top of a 1.2M high double brick
retaining wall. Our local friendly Council wants $400 to "consider a
request
for dispensation" to consider allowing a higher fence. Add that to the
$2500
cost of the fence and gates, but ONLY if the Council deems to grant your
request. Then they will only CONSIDER giving you permission, it's not a
given. No permission, no fence, and you can forget your $400 too. (Never
mind that the junkies and thieves don't need anybody's permission to
help
themselves to what they want. OK, got that off my chest, and don't even
mention electricified razor wire fences!)

Now a hedge starts to look more attractive. The cost is cheaper, I don't
need Council permission, it looks FAR better, and I can stick gates
where
required at the ends inside our property. Decision made, now I seek your
helpful and expert advice please.

What would be an ideal intruder stopper, but would look nice? I'd just
like
some ideas on some radical hedges, but nothing higher than about 1.5m,
and
we don't like conifers. The hedge would be placed in well-drained soil
right
above the weed mat covered drainage screenings (with aggy pipes inside).
The
soil inside of the retaining walls and below the surface is clay, but
the
hedge would be sitting on well drained soil/compost. (Although I've
bought
a
pH tester, I haven't used it yet!)

Are there any "tropical" hedges that grow fast and thick? (We're trying
to
establish a semi-tropical/semi-arid garden!) And then what is the best
way
to buy them, tubestock, seeds, or what?

Thanking you in advance for your advice......

Casey



A natural alternative to a hedge is a beehive. No one likes bees buzzing
around, worked for a friend in a crime hotspot here. If you do decide to
plant something go for bouganvillea as it is equivalent to razor wire.

Having your Washingtonia Palms pinched maybe a blessing. Rats like to live
in them here in WA. Also have been known to become a large bonfire when
someone lights the dead foliage.

I wish you luck.

Richard