Hi Laurie,

Deciding which plant to select will depend on factors such as light exposure (full sun, part shade, shade), space available, susceptibility to insect damage and diseases, soil pH/nutrient availability and drainage. You may want to consider having a soil test which will provide you with useful information regarding pH and organic matter content. Soil test forms and instructions can be found on the UVM website: https://www.uvm.edu/extension/agricultural-and-environmental-testing-lab.

A native plant would be ideal so it can potentially provide some wildlife benefit, but non-native non-invasive species could also work. Some possibilities include: 

- Raspberry or Blackberry plants. These thorny shrubs produce delicious berries and can serve as a natural fence. To create a hedge, info can be found:

https://extension.illinois.edu/small-fruits/training-and-pruning-blackberries

- Non-invasive barberry plants bred by Dr. Mark Brand of UConn. With colorful foliage and sharp thorns, barberry can create a dense, thorny barrier. Please be careful not to plant the invasive barberries - japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii) and common barberry (Berberis vulgaris).

- Rosa acicularis. This is a native flowering plant in the Rosaceae family and is commonly known as the prickly wild rose. This deciduous shrub can grow up to 10 ft tall and produces pink flowers and red fruit that is edible raw or cooked. The rose hips attract birds and small mammals.

- Gooseberry, prickly. This medium-sized shrub has small clusters of greenish-white flowers in the spring that turn into red-purple berries. In many states, but not Vermont, this plant is restricted since it may provide an alternate host to eastern white pine blister rust, so it is best not to plant it if you are near white pines. The newer varieties are resistant to the disease.

The above mentioned shrubs not only would provide security with their thorns but also add beauty and potential wildlife value to your landscape. Although thorn bushes are not especially dangerous, they can cause injuries if precautions are not taken. The following fact sheet has info for handling the plants:  https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/aex-892278

Another possibility could be to consider a dense planting that creates a barrier. Some websites with plant ideas:

https://extension.umaine.edu/gardening/2023/04/13/what-shrubs-can-i-use-to-make-a-privacy-screen/

https://extension.unh.edu/blog/2020/05/which-evergreen-shrubs-privacy-are-deer-resistant

I hope this helps and happy gardening!