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

if you can trim Bouganvillia into hedge that would be perfect!
"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

I don't know if you can grow rugosa roses where you are, but they are dense,
disease free, prickly, hardy and grow to the height you want in a short
amount of time.
Good luck!
Alwynne

"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

Litl Fish wrote:

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.

snip

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

Rosemary Grevillea (G. rosmarinifolia) makes an *excellent* people-repelling
hedge! It's prickly and dense and bears lovely little chinese-lantern-like
flowers! My Mum grew such a hedge to repel the neighbour's feral no-neck
children and it worked like a charm - the No-nex stopped coming into Mum's yard
and suddenly mail stopped disappearing from the mailbox, the milk money remained
intact and the dog was a heap happier!

The only drawback I can think of is that, like most grevilleas, G.rosmarinifolia
can be infested by that obnoxious bag-worm pest that ringbarks the plants in the
axils of the branches - it's not attractive and can alter the shape of the bush.

G. rosmarinifolia really is very prickly and also deters anything else from
growing in its dripline, so don't expect lawn or lawn-mowing husbands to enjoy
it. But I doubt your junkies would brave a thick hedge of G.rosmarinifolia to
get at your tap, either!

HTH,
--
Trish {|:-}
Newcastle, NSW, Australia

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

Razor wire, don't need much watering or trimming. You may have just missed
the sale at Woomera though.


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

Thanks for all your replies! Now it's a toss-up between bouganvillea and
razor-wire and a beehive. Since the proxy for the behive went to
bouganvillea, that'll be it, especially as we already have some growing
where I don't particularly want sharp plants, but we just love the flowering
bouganvillea, which don't look out of place with other tropical plants,
palms, etc. Once again, thanks for your help, and may all of you find the
answers you seek in newsgroups such as this!

"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

On Sun, 15 Jun 2003 00:51:38 GMT,"Litl Fish" posted ...

Thanks for all your replies! Now it's a toss-up between bouganvillea and
razor-wire and a beehive. Since the proxy for the behive went to
bouganvillea, that'll be it, especially as we already have some growing
where I don't particularly want sharp plants, but we just love the flowering
bouganvillea, which don't look out of place with other tropical plants,
palms, etc. Once again, thanks for your help, and may all of you find the
answers you seek in newsgroups such as this!

A final solution is to buy a dog, not inasmuch to bite somebody, but to
give a warning bark to keep intruders out of your garden.
--

Chris Bee

The bouganvillea will create more thorns on the limbs that have been pruned
and more flower growth on the fresh limbs. You can train the limbs to head
where you like and can create a great fence with a little time, patience and
a good pair of welding gloves.

Hope this helps,
Peter

Thanks Peter, I've only had a brief look at info on pruning, and now realise
it's quite an art, although I've got some pretty grandiose scheme for the
hedge, just have to learn how to implement it!

And thanks also to Chris, yes, we have a young (1 y.o.) dog, a Staffy Bull
Terrier, she's already giving notice to passersby ... but she was inside on
the night of the palm heist!

"Bushy" wrote in message
...
The bouganvillea will create more thorns on the limbs that have been
pruned
and more flower growth on the fresh limbs. You can train the limbs to head
where you like and can create a great fence with a little time, patience
and
a good pair of welding gloves.

Hope this helps,
Peter

Litl Fish wrote:

Thanks Peter, I've only had a brief look at info on pruning, and now realise
it's quite an art, although I've got some pretty grandiose scheme for the
hedge, just have to learn how to implement it!

And thanks also to Chris, yes, we have a young (1 y.o.) dog, a Staffy Bull
Terrier, she's already giving notice to passersby ... but she was inside on
the night of the palm heist!


LOL! And ROTFL! You might want to think again about growing palm trees and a
Staffy in the same yard! Ours (Staffy x Bull Terrier) eats the fallen palm nuts
by the bucketload. This results in the most *interesting* diarrhoea you could
possibly imagine! I live in horror that one day our dog will wind up with a
major bowel obstruction from swallowing just one palm nut too many!

Bullies and Staffies are good to have, though. Aside from being wildly
attractive (ours has the seductive name of 'Miss Alice'), most Bad Blokes think
twice about coming into a yard where one lives. Miss Alice has never attempted
to bite anyone, but I have no doubt that she would if threatened and so we keep
her safely inside the yard and don't allow children anywhere near her. She wears
a muzzle and harness when she's out being exercised (ie she takes my son for
Very Long Walks). Our biggest worry is her pink skin combined with her love of
sunbathing (propped up against the door of our outdoor dunny, seated on her
bottom and with eyes closed against the morning sun).

Does your Staffy dig big holes?

--
Trish {|:-}
Newcastle, NSW, Australia

Hi Casey,
What is your climatic zone, or where are you?

"Litl Fish" wrote in message
...
Hi folks,
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

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

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

Hi Bluedog, we're in Melbourne, with a front facing the West. I've been
researching bouganvillea quite extensively, and have discovered that their
root system is on the fragile side, according to a number of web sites I've
visited. I also noticed this when I first planted a few plants around our
garden, when at first the plants suffered a bit of shock, but then after
that just shot up and grew (other than the one my dog ate, she loves chewing
wood or anything that looks like a dead plant, or even if there's a
possibility it might die).

Alternative plants for hedges I've found have included Hawthorn (Crataegus
Monogyna), which is a nice prickly plant (and no, my dog won't be going
anywhere near the front) and then also the Mexican White Blossom).

Any thoughts on the merits of these plants??

"Bluedog" wrote in message
. au...
Hi Casey,
What is your climatic zone, or where are you?

"Litl Fish" wrote in message
...
Hi folks,
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