The Best Neighbors Ever

Local fence purveyors and builders offer their collective wisdom on the right fence for anyone’s home.

In Robert Frost’s poem, Mending Wall, Frost tells the story of his springtime ritual that involves walking the length of stone wall that he shares with his neighbor, both making repairs on their respective sides as they proceed. Frost, while questioning the need for a barrier between his property and his neighbor’s, is silenced by his neighbor’s opposing conviction when he tells Frost, “Good fences make good neighbors.” The subtlety of that statement underlines the complexities that are involved in choosing and erecting a fence on your property.

Throughout New England, the charming historic stonewalls, split-rail fences and picket fences have become the iconic images that amplify a home’s identity. They provided a delineation of the homeowner’s boundaries, as well as a functional embrace for enclosing livestock, or a barrier to protect precious crops and cottage gardens. Today, fences can serve a variety of functions and applications; and choosing the right solution requires examination of the myriad of choices.