Best Garden Fence: Match the Fence to the Pest
Welded wire, hardware cloth, rabbit fence, deer netting and decorative panels: which pest each one stops, and how much to buy.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This guide is written from product specifications, building practice and our calculators — it is not a hands-on product test. Affiliate disclosure
The best garden fence is the one that stops the animal eating your plants. Rabbits need small mesh at ground level; groundhogs and voles need mesh buried below it; deer need height. A decorative panel keeps out dogs and marks the bed but stops none of them.
This guide matches fence types to pests and works out rolls and posts with our linear footage calculator and fence post calculator.
Compared by type
Pros and cons describe each type from its specifications. The product in each row is a current, well-rated option of that type on Amazon, refreshed twice a day — check the listing's specifications against the “check” line before you buy.
Galvanised welded wire
Best for: General vegetable gardens, dogs and larger pests
Green PVC Coated Welded Wire Fence 48" x 50' Roll, 2"x3" Mesh, 16 Gauge$74.79View on Amazon →Check: Mesh opening and wire gauge (lower gauge = thicker)
- Stiff and long-lasting
- Easy to attach to T-posts
- Available in 2–6 ft heights
- 2 x 4 in mesh lets young rabbits through
- Heavy to handle
- Cut ends are sharp
Hardware cloth (1/4–1/2 in mesh)
Best for: Rabbits, voles and burrowers — including a buried skirt
Land Guard 19 Gauge Hardware Cloth, 1/2 inch Chicken Wire Fence, Galvanized Welded Cage Wire Mesh Roll Supports Poultry Netting Cage Fence………$18.99View on Amazon →Check: Mesh size and whether it is galvanised after welding
- Stops small animals completely
- Can be buried or bent outward as an L-footer
- Also lines raised beds
- Expensive per foot
- Short heights only in most rolls
- Stiff to cut and shape
Decorative no-dig panels
Best for: Borders, dogs and a finished look
Decorative Garden Fence 17in x10ft, 10 Pack Rustproof Metal No Dig Fence Animal Barrier for Dog, Arched Flower Bed Edging Ornamental Wire Border Panel Fencing for Yard Patio Outdoor Decor$25.26View on Amazon →Check: Height and the spacing between bars
- Push-in stakes, no digging
- Looks good around beds
- Quick to move
- Gaps let rabbits through
- Too short for deer
- Light panels lean in soft soil
Rabbit / poultry fence
Best for: Rabbits and chickens
50ft(L) x 17in(H) Animal Barrier Fence, 25 Panels No Dig Garden Fence for Dog Rabbit, Rustproof Anti Digging Barrier, Garden Edging Border Ground Defense for Outdoor, Yard, Patio$71.99View on Amazon →Check: Graduated mesh (smaller at the bottom) and coating
- Small mesh at the bottom where rabbits push
- Light and easy to install
- Vinyl coating blends in
- Too low for deer
- Poultry netting is flimsy
- Needs burying or pinning at the base
Deer netting (polypropylene)
Best for: Keeping deer out of large gardens
Feitore Deer Fence Netting, 7x100ft Garden Net Bird Netting,Reinforced Edge$15.99View on Amazon →Check: Height (7–8 ft) and breaking strength
- Cheap for its height
- Nearly invisible from a distance
- Light — simple posts are enough
- Rabbits chew through the bottom
- Tears under branches or snow
- Needs tall posts
Garden fence posts (U-posts, step-in)
Best for: Holding up any of the fences above
Metal Garden Fence Posts– Heavy Duty U-Post for Wire Fencing, 5 FT Black$59.99View on Amazon →Check: Height above ground plus 12–18 in in the soil
- Driven by hand or with a small driver
- Clips hold mesh at any height
- Reusable
- Light posts lean in soft ground
- Corners need bracing on long runs
- Too short for deer netting unless 8 ft+
| Type | Current option | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Galvanised welded wireBest for: General vegetable gardens, dogs and larger pestsCheck: Mesh opening and wire gauge (lower gauge = thicker) | Green PVC Coated Welded Wire Fence 48" x 50' Roll, 2"x3" Mesh, 16 Gauge$74.79View on Amazon → |
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| Hardware cloth (1/4–1/2 in mesh)Best for: Rabbits, voles and burrowers — including a buried skirtCheck: Mesh size and whether it is galvanised after welding | Land Guard 19 Gauge Hardware Cloth, 1/2 inch Chicken Wire Fence, Galvanized Welded Cage Wire Mesh Roll Supports Poultry Netting Cage Fence………$18.99View on Amazon → |
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| Decorative no-dig panelsBest for: Borders, dogs and a finished lookCheck: Height and the spacing between bars | Decorative Garden Fence 17in x10ft, 10 Pack Rustproof Metal No Dig Fence Animal Barrier for Dog, Arched Flower Bed Edging Ornamental Wire Border Panel Fencing for Yard Patio Outdoor Decor$25.26View on Amazon → |
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| Rabbit / poultry fenceBest for: Rabbits and chickensCheck: Graduated mesh (smaller at the bottom) and coating | 50ft(L) x 17in(H) Animal Barrier Fence, 25 Panels No Dig Garden Fence for Dog Rabbit, Rustproof Anti Digging Barrier, Garden Edging Border Ground Defense for Outdoor, Yard, Patio$71.99View on Amazon → |
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| Deer netting (polypropylene)Best for: Keeping deer out of large gardensCheck: Height (7–8 ft) and breaking strength | Feitore Deer Fence Netting, 7x100ft Garden Net Bird Netting,Reinforced Edge$15.99View on Amazon → |
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| Garden fence posts (U-posts, step-in)Best for: Holding up any of the fences aboveCheck: Height above ground plus 12–18 in in the soil | Metal Garden Fence Posts– Heavy Duty U-Post for Wire Fencing, 5 FT Black$59.99View on Amazon → |
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Prices as of Sep 27, 2026, 8:10 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Which fence stops which pest
| Pest | Height | Mesh | Extra |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rabbits | 24–36 in | 1 in or smaller at the bottom | Bury 3–6 in or bend an L-footer outward |
| Groundhogs | 36–48 in | 2 x 4 in welded wire or smaller | Bury 12 in; leave the top floppy |
| Voles and gophers | At or below ground | 1/4–1/2 in hardware cloth | Line beds or bury 12–24 in |
| Deer | 7–8 ft | Deer netting or tall welded wire | Or two lower fences 3–4 ft apart |
| Dogs and chickens | 24–48 in | Welded wire or decorative panels | A gate that latches |
How much fence and how many posts
Measure the perimeter, subtract the gate, then divide by the roll length. The linear footage calculator and fence post calculator do the work; the example uses the same functions.
Worked example: A 30 × 20 ft vegetable garden with a 4 ft gate
- Perimeter: 100 ft, minus the gate → 96 ft of fence
- Rolls of 50 ft: 2
- Posts at 8 ft spacing: 13 line posts plus 2 gate posts → 15
2 rolls of 50 ft and about 15 posts. For deer, choose 7–8 ft netting and posts at least 8 ft long.
Fencing out deer across a larger plot? The deer fence calculator sizes mesh and posts for any length.
What to check before you buy
- Mesh at ground level — it decides whether rabbits and young animals get through.
- Height for your worst pest, not the average one.
- Galvanised after welding (GAW) or vinyl-coated wire lasts longer than galvanised-before-welding.
- Roll length versus your perimeter, so you are not joining short pieces.
- Posts and clips: some rolls need them bought separately.
Building a bigger farm fence? See the woven wire fence calculator.
Shop the types above
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Green PVC Coated Welded Wire Fence 48" x 50' Roll, 2"x3" Mesh, 16 Gauge
$74.79
View on Amazon →Land Guard 19 Gauge Hardware Cloth, 1/2 inch Chicken Wire Fence, Galvanized Welded Cage Wire Mesh Roll Supports Poultry Netting Cage Fence………
$18.99
View on Amazon →Decorative Garden Fence 17in x10ft, 10 Pack Rustproof Metal No Dig Fence Animal Barrier for Dog, Arched Flower Bed Edging Ornamental Wire Border Panel Fencing for Yard Patio Outdoor Decor
$25.26
View on Amazon →50ft(L) x 17in(H) Animal Barrier Fence, 25 Panels No Dig Garden Fence for Dog Rabbit, Rustproof Anti Digging Barrier, Garden Edging Border Ground Defense for Outdoor, Yard, Patio
$71.99
View on Amazon →Feitore Deer Fence Netting, 7x100ft Garden Net Bird Netting,Reinforced Edge
$15.99
View on Amazon →Metal Garden Fence Posts– Heavy Duty U-Post for Wire Fencing, 5 FT Black
$59.99
View on Amazon →Prices as of Sep 27, 2026, 8:10 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Safety notes
- Call 811 (in the US) before driving long posts or burying mesh deeper than a few inches.
- Wear gloves and eye protection when cutting wire — cut ends spring back and are sharp.
- Keep netting tight and off the ground where it can tangle birds and small wildlife; check it regularly.