Green Boundaries

As Lumber Prices Skyrocket, Opt for a Natural Fence Instead

Lumber and construction costs are soaring. Instead of a wood fence, get your hands dirty with shrubs and plants for a natural border.

By Kim Doleatto May 27, 2021

Maki Podocarpus

Maki Podocarpus, or "maki" for short, is evergreen. Once established, it requires very little water and grows into a dense hedge.

Photography by Courtesy Photo

Silver Buttonwood

Silver buttonwood has dusty gray leaves that look like suede. Its color pops against more common greens in the garden.

Photography by Courtesy Photo

Pitch Apple

Pitch apple, also known as Clusia, has thick, leathery leaves and is salt- and wind-tolerant for easy planting if you live near the beach.

Photography by Courtesy Photo

Sandankwa Viburnum

Sandankwa viburnum grows into a lush, leafy 6-8-foot-tall hedge and does best in partial shade.

Photography by Courtesy Photo

Cocoplum

Cocoplum produces a berry-like plum that birds and squirrels love to eat. The red tips contrast with their light green leaves.

Photography by Courtesy Photo

Confederate Jasmine

Confederate Jasmine is a vine with small white flowers that can fill in an old fence or grow through chain links for a dense and fragrant natural border.

Photography by Courtesy Photo

If you’ve been thinking about installing a wooden fence in your yard, you may want to put it off. Due to shortages in the supply chain and transportation issues due to Covid-19, “you saw price spikes at the beginning of the pandemic. Then around September, prices accelerated,” says Harrison Magee, co-manager of 84 Lumber in Bradenton. "They've been creeping up every week, depending on availability."

A sheet of plywood used to cost about $25. Now it’s roughly $75.

So if you're still craving privacy but are balking at that price surge, it may make more sense to turn to plants and shrubs. They're an easy, readily available, cost-effective solution—not to mention eco-friendly.

Conan Michel, plant purchasing manager at ArtisTree Landscape, has been working in Southwest Florida for 22 years. In the slideshow above, you'll find his top picks for drought-resistant, hearty, native southwest Florida plants that offer the same boundary benefits of a fence.

Gardens, Landscaping, ArtisTree Landscape Maintenance & Design

Show Comments