Defensive Gardening

David Candasamy, Managing Director of Beautiful Spaces explains how strategically planting thorny and prickly plants around your property can serve as an effective deterrent to burglars.

With a recent rise in burglaries, it is important to consider every avenue of security for your home, including your garden and outbuildings. Good quality fencing, motion sensor lights, security cameras or CCTV system are absolutely crucial but there is an often-overlooked way to prevent burglars from getting close to your home. Through the strategic use of security plants.

Why use security plants?

Imagine you’re a burglar with two choices- attempt to break into a property with a thick hedge of thorny plants or try another, easier garden with no such defence. It's clear which option is more appealing. By choosing the right plants, you can create a natural,

aesthetically pleasing barrier that discourages burglars while adding interest to your garden.

Which plants make the best deterrent?

Pyracantha is a beautiful shrub known for its striking flowers and vibrant red, yellow, or orange berries that appear in autumn and winter. With its tough, thorny branches, it is often trained against walls or fences and makes an excellent evergreen hedge. Its stunning berries add seasonal colour while providing year-round security.

Hawthorn - is known for its long, sharp thorns that line its branches. It produces small, round fruits and boasts vibrant autumn foliage, extending its season of interest. Highly versatile, hawthorn can be grown as a hedge, shrub, or tree, thriving in a variety of soils and exposed locations. It also provides an excellent habitat for wildlife, with its abundance of nectar-rich flowers attracting insects and its autumn berries, known as haws, offering food for birds.

Berberis is an excellent choice for wildlife-friendly hedging and screening, thanks to its dense growth and abundant flowers, particularly in evergreen species.

Holly is a striking and versatile evergreen hedge, known for its distinctive prickly leaves, which are deep green and glossy, as well as its bright red winter berries and ornamental appeal. Its dense, spiky growth makes it an excellent choice for both a security barrier and a privacy screen.

To maximize their deterrent effect, plant these bushes close together to form a dense,impenetrable barrier. Not only will this enhance your security, but it will also benefit local wildlife by providing shelter and food for birds and insects.

However, while thorny plants are great for deterring burglars, don’t let them grow too large. Overgrown gardens can provide burglars with places to hide.

Additional Security Tips for Your Garden

Keep the hedges and walls in the front of your home low to eliminate hiding spots for burglars.

Always lock side gates to prevent easy access to your property. Open gates give intruders a clear path to your home without being noticed.

Ensure that the fences around your property are strong, durable, and difficult to cut or climb.

Gravel on driveways and paths around the house, near windows and other points of entry is a good detergent due to the noise and disruption of foot traffic. In addition, gravel improves drainage while adding texture and visual interest to garden landscaping.

Pots and planters – make sure they are well secured.

Keep entry points visible and illuminated with motion sensor lights.

High-quality solar garden lighting is widely available, offering flexibility in placement throughout the garden. Spotlights can be set in gravel along pathways, while uplighters can highlight plants and trees in pots near doors and patios, with the option for motion activation.

For expert advice on creating natural barriers and other garden and landscaping ideas, contact our team at Beautiful Spaces by David.

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