• Hedges can be good windbreaks for small areas.Isolated hedge image by Pamela Uyttendaele from Fotolia.com
  
  Whether you want to save on your heating bill, make outside areas more pleasant during the windy months, or simply protect a bird feeder from wayward wind gusts, a basic, inexpensive windbreak can help, and possibly beautify an area at the same time. There are windbreak options to suit many price ranges and needs. Some can be constructed in a single weekend.
  
  

Hedges and Trees

• Depending on the desired height of your windbreak, a thick hedge or row of evergreen trees can do an excellent job of blocking the wind without adding clutter to your garden. The only down side to natural windbreaks is the time they take to grow.
  
  

Windbreak Fencing

• You can build windbreak fences from a wide range of materials including metal and wood, and they can be an elegant complement to your yard. Leaving space between slats will improve the shielding effect by letting some air filter through and preventing downdrafts and turbulence around the edges. You can use several small, portable windbreak fences to provide flexibility in shifting winds. Using wide bases and heavy materials will help prevent toppling.
  
  

Windbreak Cloth

• Construct a basic windbreak using vertical posts with a length of windbreak cloth (similar to shade cloth) stretched between. Use netting with coverage of 75 to 80 percent, and create an L shape to allow for shifting winds. Windbreak cloth also can be used to construct portable structures, and it rolls or folds well for storage during the calmer months.