We had planted a bougainvillea fence all over the periphery of Aanandaa at the start of our project in 2011. We believed it was a cheaper and better alternative to building a wall. Not only that, but it also adds a beauty feature to the farm, especially when the flowers bloom, all 14 varieties of them!
The bougainvillea fence serves the following functions.
1. It blocks out the view of random passerby entirely
2. It is dense and thorny thereby preventing wild animals from walking through
3. The bush provides shelter and a place to nest to so many different birds at Aanandaa
4. The bushes provide for good fodder for the goats.
5. The colours add so much beauty and character to the farm.
6. Since we have a dirt track on one length of the farm, the bougainvillea fence helps keep the dust away from our crops growing within.
7. It's leaves and flowers provide useful mulch
The fence has become a wall with constantly pruning. Since the dirt tracks are fairly narrow, many villagers complained about the branches obstructing their path or scratching them on motorbikes. We started pruning this bush very sharply to ensure it did not bother any villagers passing by. As a result, its become like a wall.