Brick

A brick wall provides a permanent barrier, gives shelter and acts as a storage radiator.

However, brick garden walls are less common these days, mainly due to the cost of the materials and the skilled labour. But if you have bricklaying skills and time, then garden walls are a worthwhile project. And permanent. Once you've finished you'll have a durable maintenance-free stockproof boundary that's attractive in its own right, and ideal as a warm support for fruit and ornamental plants.

To keep costs down, consider building a low wall (which will not require extensive foundations or buttressing) that includes intermediate pillars to infill with trellis panels. This keeps vulnerable wood off the ground, and reduces the claustrophobic effect of a high brick barrier around a small garden.

Stone

Drystone walls provide a stockproof and attractive boundary.

If you live in the right area, a drystone wall in keeping with the local style of field boundary is both functional and appealing. Drystone walling is another skilled job, but it's worth phoning around a few suppliers and wallers to cost the project rather than dismissing the idea out of hand.