Put a twist on the traditional white picket fence by bringing it into the yard. Ditch the standard 6-foot-plus height and play with the texture. You can even upcycle salvaged materials like surfboards and give it a timeworn look. Create a “vineyard feel” for the veggie patch with a cottage-style entry gate and climbers running the length of the wall.

Another non-conformist option for your garden is a bamboo screen or roll matting. This is also a great option to cover and update an existing partition, lending a more natural feel to chainlike or wooden slats with peeling paint. Bamboo is suitable for rustic, tropical, oriental, and modern gardens. Customize a roll to make it as opaque or see-through as you want by laying the mats or removing individual sticks. For a similar but more mysterious and sophisticated look, consider woven willow fencing.

Dip-treated cedar or pine timber can be ideal for wooden garden fences. The natural grain and knots give a distinctive appeal to the material, and the slight variations from board to board keep every fence unique. It also feels like a cohesive part of the backyard. Combine your Victorian garden fence with wrought iron framing or cutouts and construct a pergola for sunny afternoon teas, and you'll feel like you've traversed continents when you step into your backyard.

Embedded wire or chicken wire mesh netting as a garden fence can give the backyard a functional and “farmhouse” vibe. This affordable and easy-to-build option suits rock gardens, contemporary, and minimalist yards alike. Use honeysuckle, clematis, and other vines to cover blank perimeters and add a carefree, casual look to your outdoor space.

With a stone base and repurposed wooden pallets, it's not too hard to DIY your garden fence. Depending on the kind of garden you have in mind, use heavy-duty clips to hold the pallets together. Evenly spaced finials can add an impressive air to this otherwise rustic option, and you can paint or not, all based on the aesthetic you're going for. If you're craving an old-world or a shabby-chic look, this could be the perfect material for you.

Get a great fence and a stunning focal point in the garden with an arched doorway and a swinging gate. Whether or not you have a lavish Tudor garden, replicate classic English charm with a decorative arbor and trellis design. You can even extend it on either side with some clean logs and maximize the green potential with climbing plants.

Iron is a sturdy component that adds practical elegance to your backyard. A chain-link fence or wrought iron railings keep critters away from the plants. Although they can look imposing, this classic style also offers ornamental aesthetics. Wrought iron rails are spaced to allow unobstructed views of your beautiful garden. Get streamlined simplicity with mixed materials and heights, and stunning designs without compromising on security

Add playful colors to sections of the fence to break up the monotony and add character. Whether you start with an old wooden fence or weave plastic strips through chainlink, you're sure to end up with an eye-catching end product. Let it all go with a rainbow palette or simplify with yellow or purple on every few slats. If you really want to up the fun and expose your artistic side, paint the boards to look like brushes, pencils, or bamboo stalks.

Undulating or interlocking stone fences are stylish and surreal at the same time. Create a cozy backyard with short, curved stone walls. Flagstones and brick deliver an earthy contrast to bright flowering plants. You can even leave some spaces in between the stones and encourage ivy and other suitable plants to grow there for a meticulously "abandoned" look.