When it comes to securing the house you live in, everyone considers the doors, windows, and even the garage door, but what about the backyard? Investing in a good sturdy back door can essentially keep the intruders out of your home, but do they all want to break in?
Many burglars don’t climb over your fence to enter your home. They scout the ground and your property for valuable articles, gardening tools, furniture, etc. Most of them don’t risk breaking into your home itself even if you are away on a holiday for the summer. They search for vulnerable properties and if they notice anything of value, they steal it.
Your home garden is not just a place where you grow a variety of plants, trees, fruits, vegetables and all other food items. It is also a place where you relax, have fun, play, do many activities with your friends and family; for example – barbecue, carpentering, repairing.
Majority of the homeowners like to rest, boost their moods and rejuvenate in their gardens. This place needs to be secure, at all times – day and night! You cannot settle for some minimum, laid-back security measures.
Garden security is very important and it does not stop with just the garden gate or the boundary of your property. Ideally, your entire structure has to be protected, including the outbuilding and the roof.
Installing CCTV cameras around your property in different angles can definitely deter burglars, but there are many opportunistic thieves who are real professionals at picking the right house at the right time to break into. An improvement in your garden security can quickly reduce the opportunity for theft.
Our sincere advice – give this blog post a read! Check the published comments and posts for more easy tips for better garden security.
Looking for some effective top tips to help you improve your garden security? Check out this article. We have many tips to help you make your property more secure and safe from intruders.
How To Secure Your Garden Against Intruders
Burglars look for valuables. Anything that can give them money when sold, is valuable to them. Their theft will not be limited to just items of high value. Thieves grab anything and everything that can earn them money when sold. Many don’t mind waiting to sell the stolen items in bulk to their regular customers.
So, how can you keep your valuables and other things safe? Think of simple yet effective ways to keep these intruders at bay. You don’t want to keep worrying about your home security when you are on a holiday for your summer break, do you?
Invest In A Security Alarm System
Choosing a suitable alarm system can make a big difference to your home security. A good alarm system can alert the police in case of a break-in and they will reach your address quickly.
There are plenty of leading new security alarm systems that are known for their high quality services. Not sure about which security company to choose? Here are a few tips:
- The system must have enough CCTV cameras to cover every access and entry point.
- Check what existing customers have to say about the product.
- Collect data about the product or service’s success
A good system is your first line of defense and can warn the police of a potential break-in when triggered. It is important to secure outbuildings too, to restrict access.
You can also install fake cameras in a few places in plain sight. Too many cameras around will remove even the thought of robbing your home.
However, we would advice you to not rely completely on these systems alone for effectively protecting your property.
Make The Boundary More Secure
If a burglar were to jump over your fence, they should be in for a surprise. One of the simplest tips is to create barriers for entry using multiple things and make it unattractive for thieves to target your home.
Remember, burglars can hide behind bushes, so avoid having them too thick or high. The fence and the walls must be difficult to scale over. If you are dwelling in a lonely location, opt for barbed fence or electrical fencing.
Defensive Plants
If you like gardening, you can use your knowledge and add to both – the greenery and the security of your home.
A plant contributes to your wellbeing and health too. Your choice for prickly plants can include fruits and flowers. With a little bit of planning, effort, and good care, these can even increase your food options. When they turn into mulch material, take care to remove them without disrupting the rest of the green space.
Thorny plants like roses are the best option if you want a plant to look colorful, pleasant, and also protect you at the same time. When your property features colorful roses, they will look very pretty when they are fully grown and bloom in spring.
Firethorns are a great option too. They will provide protection all year round. You can make easy DIY decorative pots and also hang them on the wall to improve your security. You can also get a nice comment or two from friends who find it attractive.
If you have trees close to the wall, cut off the lower branches so that there is nothing to hold on to and climb over. Citrus trees are good options for your garden boundary.
Make Your Fence More Secure
Have you noticed, some houses have very high or prickly fences? Such fences effectively keep burglars away. If your fences or walls are too small, you can add something sharp and pointy on top half to prevent burglars from climbing over.
Ivy is a good choice to add more defence to your fences. Installing them just below the tips of your fence can really surprise an intruder. When thieves manage to climb over your fence or wall, they will come in contact with the ivy. It can cause severe itching when someone comes in contact with it.
Planting trellis is also a good idea if you want to have more thorny plants for effective fencing. Trellis is an open framework that can offer support for climber plants and also make your garden fencing look stylish.
Remember to inspect all areas including the ground and under your fence for gaps and holes. Rodents can spread disease and put you at risk. So, search for and cover holes.
Prevent Blind Spots In The Front
Securing just the back garden is not enough. You need to ensure there are no blind spots in the front, even if it’s facing the street.
- Have a window facing the gate and other access points, so that you can look out often
- Avoid dense hedges as it will only benefit the intruder and make their job easier
- Don’t park your car blocking your view of the front entrance
Use Gravel To Your Advantage
Gravel can cover the ground as well as protect you. You can use the gravel in a set pattern along the pathway with bushes and shrubs in addition to your property border, to form an interesting garden design. Also, walking on gravel has medical benefits.
Light Up Your Garden
Well-lit gardens are not a target for burglars. Install a sufficient number of lights to cover all areas of your garden including paths. Well-hidden motion-sensitive light near the gate or boundaries can catch the burglar off guard.
Look for different options if you want to make your garden look more interesting and unique.
Secure Your Garden With Locks
Always secure your garden with good locks. Our advice would be to use thick padlocks or fancier number locks. Ensure no one but family members knows where the keys are kept. If a thief has to break a few locks to get to your belongings, they are not going to attempt to enter easily.
How To Secure Side Gates And Back Garden Gates
Do not forget the side and back gates. Use good locks and bright lights to keep them secure. Check the gate hinges regularly for rusty screws and other damages that can compromise your security. Hinges tend to get rusted and can be missed as they are not in plain sight.
You can even hang some pots on the gates to make noise when the gates are opened. Noisy ornaments can also be a good option.
Path And Driveway Security
The driveway and pathways to your property must be well lit. Sensor light is a good option if you are worried about power wastage. You can have some prickly shrubs without taking much space (if you don’t have young kids). You need to maintain these shrubs well, else they might grow and become the perfect hideout for a person.
If the path is extending all the way to your outbuildings, you can make your land look more putting up
Use Technology To Deter Thieves
Reviewing the latest technology and security services in the market can help you identify the best fit for your home. Alternatively, you can check the feedback from existing customers. Existing customers will help you understand both the advantages and disadvantages of a product or service. Flip through pages of the latest home-related magazines to see their advice on home security.
If you have a doubt in the security process or service, existing customers can be the perfect first place to go to for advice.
Keep Valuable Plants And Ornaments Secure
Many like to spend a lot on their gardens. They invest in furniture, ornaments, statues, and other decorative items from around the world, to make their gardens look like they belong to a page in some magazine. Thieves search for such houses.
Ideas To Secure And Hide Your Oil Tank
You can even have , or grow a thick hedge to cover the tank. , they make a good garden security prop.
- Hide your tank under garden furniture like a table
- Plant pots with prickly plants will act as a barrier
- Statues can’t be moved easily, and can be a good way to hide the tank
- Layer the tank border with metal belongings that will produce noice when moved
Secure Your Garden Shed
Your garden shed is where you keep all the tools. Keep the shed under lock and key. It can be tempting to just use a bolt, but it will not suffice. Use a sturdy padlock or two if needed. All your garden tools, equipment, fertilizers, lawnmowers, and other house tools will be safe in your shed this way.
Secure your bikes with a chain and padlocks, in your garden shed. Burglars get tempted by expensive bicycles left out in the open.
Garden Furniture
If you have recently invested in some garden furniture, you need to protect that investment. If you putting them in the garage is not an option –
- Tag them with your postcode or initials by using UV markers. No one will easily purchase an article or garden furniture with such markings.
- Use a cover to protect them from the sun
Your tables can serve as a landing spot for intruders who climb over walls. Freely moving chairs and bins that can be easily lifted are added props for intruders to enter with ease. The thief has to just pull and bring them to the wall for more height.
Insurance
Get an insurance for all your belongings or at least your valuables. In case of a theft, if you provide sufficient evidence, the insurance company will compensate you for your loss. sometimes insurance companies will meet you mid way to make up
Pet
A dog can protect your home at all times. Even a small dog can make a big difference as protecting you is their natural instinct. The sheer existence of a dog is deterrent to a theft. If your pet tends to dig out your plants, bushes, or hedges, consider using a chicken wire. When you plant your bushes over a wire covered in soil, it makes it harder to dig them out.
Conclusion
Garden security is an important aspect of your home’s security. Many people install the latest technology cameras for the house and forget or compromise on garden security. Many potential burglars search for such houses and make do with the garden furniture, garden equipment, expensive plant pots and other expensive items that are easy to find, access and sell in your garden.
Once successful in the past, burglars will attempt to steal from you again. In due course they might even enter your house. Focus your efforts on your garden security and use some of the tips mentioned here. If you have other tips or ideas, do share it with us and help others as well.