Tardissing the Space Part 4 – Trellises, not fences

This was our north side fence when we moved in, and it was a really attractive house feature – it wasn’t one of those colourbond monstrosities that catch heat, block sunlight, have only one purpose, and make over the fence conversations impossible, and it needed to be replaced. Our neighbours were really happy to contribute to the cost of replacing it.

And this was the first panel of the new fence going in. You can’t see it any more, It is deep in a jungle of productive vines.

It is made from 1.2 metre tall galvanised roll top weldmesh fence panels, attached to galvanised steel posts concreted into the ground. We got most of the panels second hand. There are many things to like about them – easy to install, cheap, durable, keep out dogs and drunks wandering home from the pub down the road. But their usefulness as a trellis for growing things is at the top of the list. The north side fence is now a trellis for Madagascar beans, cherry tomatoes, passionfruit and raspberries. While it can be climbed, the bit with the raspberries, at least, is less than inviting.

The neighbours are happy – anything on their side of the fence is theirs. Their side of the fence is lawn, so the panels are installed 5cm above the ground to allow a whipper snipper cord to go under it, and we plant a bit back from the fenceline to avoid crop plants getting snipped. We’re very happy – it’s an extra 36m² of growing space – more than all the annual beds put together – all of it in north facing light. And our crop plants’ roots get to harvest water and soil nutrients from an extra metre or so on their side.

It worked so well, we have also replaced the corrugated asbestos fence on the southern, lane side with the same material, but with posts a bit taller so we can add a couple of top wires to extend the height. It’s not quite so valuable as growing space on the south side – that side has big trees designed to harvest sunlight with canopy over the laneway, with coffee trees and Davidson plums to grab any sunlight left over. But it has a choko vine and another passionfruit fighting it out, and I am going to try black peppercorns (Piper nigrum), and hope the laneway surface has enough thermal mass to create a tropical microclimate. I might be hopeful, but I have a vanilla vine climbing my front porch that has survived the winter.

It’s a basic permaculture design principle, that every element can be designed to perform dozens of functions. Our fences define the boundary – the verge and laneway plantings are open for (respectful) public harvesting, but inside the fence is not. They discourage burglars and make it clear where they are not supposed to be. They keep kids, dogs, drunks and at least some of the wildlife out, and little kids and visiting dogs in. But the function that most excites me is the way they expand the food producing potential of our little space.