As much as we wish we didn’t have to worry about burglaries, the sad reality is that break-ins do happen on a worryingly regular basis.
Front and back gardens are often targeted by opportunistic thieves. Machinery, tools and plants can be worth a lot of money, and once your back garden has been breached, an intruder may find it easier to enter your home through the usually less secure back door.
But kitting your property out with ugly deterrents can have your garden feeling less like the peaceful oasis you dreamed of. and more like a maximum security prison! Fortunately, there’s a number of subtle security deterrents you can put in place that’ll help you sleep easier at night, while still allowing you to enjoy your outdoor space during the day.
We’ve put together the best (and most aesthetic!) ways to make your garden more secure.
1. Keep your Side Gate Locked
Let’s start with arguably the simplest security deterrent, a locked garden gate.
A side gate offers easy access to your garden. While a side gate is ideal if you’ve got a muddy puppy coming back after a walk, or you want to give the gardener access when you’re out at work, an unlocked gate can be a huge weak point in your garden security.
Open garden gates allow intruders to access your garden without being detected. While the more committed burglars could find an alternative way to access your garden if the gate is locked, a locked garden gate will almost certainly deter opportunistic thieves who fancy helping themselves to a rare plant or a free lawnmower!
Another reason to lock your garden gate is to protect your pooch! It’s estimated that around a quarter of dogs that are stolen have been taken from their own garden. Keeping your side gate locked will make it a lot harder for someone to take your dog.
2. Opt for Spiky, Defensive Planting
Few thieves want to claw their way through a rose or gorse bush! Planting thorny bushes or shrubs around the perimeter of your garden against your fence will add an extra layer of security, making your outdoor space that much harder to access.
You could take it one step further and keep cacti or other spiky houseplants on your windowsill to prevent burglars from getting into your home undetected. Anyone who owns a spiky succulent knows how painful they can be!
3. Install a Gravel Driveway
Your driveway plays an important role in your household security and can actually deter your thief before they even get to your front door.
A gravel driveway makes a lot of noise when a car drives across it, and it’s even easy to hear gentle footprints when your driveway is gravel. A gravel driveway will increase the chances that either you or a neighbour will hear if a car pulls up in the middle of the night.
4. Install Motion Detecting Lighting
Motion detecting security lighting should stop a thief in their tracks and make them think twice about entering your garden.
Motion sensor lights and floodlights can be set to automatically come on when someone enters your garden or gets too close to your property. Motion sensing lights have the added benefit of deterring unwanted wildlife who want nothing more than to destroy your flower beds!
5. Keep on Top of Fence Maintenance
It’s important to keep your fence in good condition. Damaged fence panels can be a weak point in your home security, so you should regularly inspect the panels both on the inside and out of your garden fence.
Vulnerable points in your garden fence include missing fence panels, holes and areas that have been damaged by the weather. A garden fence that’s too low is another security issue. It’s recommended that the optimum height is around 1.8 to 2 m.
You should also ensure there’s nothing near the fence which would make it easier to climb. For instance, wheelie bins or garden furniture pushed up against your fence can help an intruder down into your garden. Move these away from the fence to make your garden more difficult to get into.
6. Keep Tools in a Secure Garden Shed
Opportunistic thieves will take any chance they can to grab some unsecured tools. Electric tools and machinery such as lawn mowers or grass strimmers can be worth a lot of money. Not only will leaving them outside reduce their lifespan, they’ll also make your garden more appealing to intruders.
Another reason to never leave your garden tools lying around is because, if a thief manages to get into your garden, they could then use a tool to get into your home. Don’t make a burglar’s job easy; store your tools away!
Having said that, it’s also important that your garden shed is secure. Most can be padlocked, but these aren’t too difficult to break. For extra security, a digital lock is a better option. Flimsy plastic storage sheds are fairly easy to get into, while wooden sheds are sturdy provided they are regularly treated against the elements.
Very expensive items should be stored inside your homes, as opposed to in a garage or outbuilding.
7. Top your Fence with a Trellis
Contrary to belief, you don’t need to top your fence with spikes or barbed wire to put off thieves (although you can if you want!). A simple trellis will give your fence more height without making your garden feel enclosed. This has the benefit of giving your garden a little more privacy if it’s overlooked, while still allowing light to pass through.
Make your new security feature more aesthetically appealing by training roses or clematis to grow on it. Alternatively, personalise your fence with hanging baskets, bird feeders or a vertical herb garden!
8. Secure your Plants
It’s not uncommon for potted plants in front gardens to go missing. In fact, this is a crime that happens more frequently than many people realise. Flowers, fruits and veggies are all targeted by plant-loving thieves, and in most cases the criminal will steal the entire pot.
Thieves want to be able to run in, grab an expensive plant and make their escape as quickly as possible. Prevent potted plants from being stolen by investing in the heaviest pots you can. A large, heavy pot filled with soil is going to be tough for any intruder to make away with quickly and quietly. Clay pots are the best option. They’re difficult to grab hold of, and normally need two people to move them.
You could also chain the pots together or bolt them into the ground. Make use of some of the built in drainage holes by placing a bolt through the hole and into the ground beneath the pot. Secure the bolt with a washer and nut.
9. Keep Front Boundaries Low
Contrary to belief, it’s best practice to keep your front boundaries low. Not only is an enormous front garden fence something of an eyesore, a tall fence can provide lots of space for intruders to hide as they make their way to the front of your home.
An exposed front garden will deter criminals as they won’t have many spots to hide. It also makes it more likely that either you or a neighbour might spot someone trying to break in.
It’s best to keep your front boundaries under 1 m tall. This will be very difficult for a thief to hide behind, and they’ll be easier to spot from any angle.
10. Consider CCTV
Yes, it’s more of an expense than other security measures, but if you’re really concerned about keeping your property secure, an outdoor security camera is one of the biggest deterrents.
Modern motion detecting cameras can be connected to your phone and set to send you an alert when motion is detected. Many security cameras will record and store data, so if you are unlucky enough to have a break in, you’ll have evidence.
It’s important you understand the guidelines when it comes to CCTV. You need to inform your neighbours about your system and put a sign up, so that people know they are being recorded.
Some people opt to use a fake camera, which can also work very well as a deterrent. Remember that experienced thieves will likely be able to spot the difference, but a fake camera should be enough to make an opportunistic intruder think twice.
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