By Peg St. Clair
Enquirer contributor

Many gardeners treasure the peace and quiet they find in their gardens. After a long day or week of work, they retreat to the garden for respite.

But, often, this peace is challenged by annoying neighbors, barking dogs, screaming children, loud stereos and radios.

Jerry Frankenhoff, a designer in Natorp's Landscape Division, says one of every four or five of his clients has a problem with their neighbors.

If noise is a problem, Frankenhoff advises planting dense plants - the denser the better.

A positive effect can be created by designing a garden room (rather than a barrier), complete with a wall and a water feature. A pleasant sound is created by the moving water that will echo off the wall.

Ryan Lough, designer and horticulturist at Wimberg Landscaping, suggests columnar-shaped trees set off by hydrangea or viburnum beds in the front. For more privacy, he recommends fencing that has lattice sections - great for growing climbing vines such as clematis in the sun or climbing hydrangea for shadier locations.

Jeff Webeler of White Oak Garden Center has a client who lives next to a home that is continually being rented. Sometimes the renters take no pride in the yard. For a remedy, he suggested arborvitae to create a visual barrier. Ornamental grasses were used to fill in the space until the trees grew larger. A perennial garden was added in front.

If you resort to a fence to ensure your privacy, be sure to check with city ordinances before having it installed. If you're not sure of property boundaries, a survey may be necessary.

It is said that a fence makes a good neighbor. In some cases, drawing boundary lines of what is acceptable and what is not is the best way to teach the culture of your community and to enjoy your own home and garden.

Contact Peg St. Clair by phone: 541-4680; Web site.