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You’ll need to bury the garden fence about 1 foot underground. It’s tempting to save on materials by burying the fence just a couple of inches, but if you do so, determined pests will still be able to dig under the fence and access your plants. Burying your garden fence deep into the soil is an important step that allows you to attach a wire barrier to the fencing. 

Burrowing animals (like voles, moles, rabbits, and gophers) can’t dig or chew through this wiring, meaning that you’ll be keeping your prized petunias or your robust veggie garden from being eaten.

Who pays for a new fence between neighbors depends on its location relative to the property line. If you build the fence entirely on your property, you are solely responsible for the costs of installation, maintenance, and repair. If the fence is built directly on the property line, both neighbors are typically responsible for the costs. In this case, it is essential to consult with your neighbor beforehand to agree on a plan for payment. While you should always inform your neighbor of your plans in advance, you generally cannot force them to contribute financially unless there are specific local laws, such as in California, where both parties might be responsible for costs unless a different agreement exists. It's a good idea to get a property line survey to know the exact boundaries before building.

Standard post spacing for shadowbox fences is 6 to 8 feet. This spacing ensures proper support for the heavy weight of overlapping pickets and prevents sagging between posts. However, areas with high winds, slopes, or unstable soil conditions may require closer spacing.

The recommended height for a garden fence depends on its primary purpose. For pest control, the necessary height varies by animal. To keep out small pests like rabbits, a fence should be at least two to three feet tall. If you live in an area with deer, you will need a much taller fence, at least five feet high, to prevent them from jumping over. If the main goal is privacy, the fence should be at least seven feet tall. For purely decorative fences, the height is a matter of personal preference.