New Book Explores the Ecological Benefits of Living Fences Over Brick Walls

Landscape architect Sonali Dahotre explores the ecological and practical benefits of growing living fences in her newly published book, The Living Fence. A living fence is a row of plants grown along property boundaries to serve as a natural barrier. Hedges consist of a single species groomed for uniformity, while hedgerows use multiple species left to grow naturally.

Benefits and History

Living fences offer security, beautification, fuelwood, and windbreaks while attracting wildlife like birds, bees, and butterflies. They were common in urban India until the early 1990s before being replaced by brick and stone walls due to rising land prices. Historically, living fences served various purposes worldwide. Classical author Democritus recommended brambles and gooseberries for hedges, and Julius Caesar noted the Nervii tribe using thorny barriers in battle. In India, Kautilya's Arthashastra mentioned natural village boundaries, and historical figures like Maharaja Devaraja Wodeyar II used a 73-metre wide thorny hedge to protect Bengaluru Pettah from invaders. Robert Orme documented a defensive hedge of aloes and thorny plants surrounding Pondicherry.

Context

As modern urban expansion and climate change lead to frequent flooding and heatwaves in cities, natural green barriers help absorb rainwater and support local biodiversity. Protecting native flora and planting boundary vegetation offers a sustainable alternative to sterile concrete architecture in both urban and rural settlements.