How to Build a Living Screen Wall

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Yesterday's common sense ideas to help you maintain and enjoy your country home, garden, landscape and property.

From The American Agriculturist, 1878

The best screen whether for shutting out the view, or for the shelter it affords, is a living one of evergreen trees. This, however, can not be had at once - time is required to produce it, and while this is growing some other may be supplied. Mr. I. D. Snook, of Yates Co., N.Y., sends us a design for a screen, which may be used as a permanent one, or to serve until one of evergreens has reached high enough to take its place. This, shown in the engraving, has posts, 7 or 8 feet high, which are connected by a cap-piece of boards, cut as there shown, and strands of galvanized iron wire, are passed from post to post, every 12 or 18 inches, according to the kind of plant to be used. One of the best plants for such a screen is a rampant growing grape-vine, such as the "Clinton," or "Taylor," and until this gets established, some annuals, such as Morning-glories, or such quick-growing plants as the Maderia-vine may be used.