Expert Discusses Garden Security as Days Become Shorter

Summer is over, and with the clocks going back at the end of October, the shorter days and darker nights are creeping closer, making gardens and outdoor spaces potentially more appealing to unwanted visitors.

Autumn is the perfect time for homeowners to check the security of their gardens and make a few simple upgrades to help protect their outdoor spaces, garden buildings, and belongings.

Christopher Murphy MBE, founder of Dunster House, shares security checks and upgrades that homeowners should make to their gardens and garden buildings, such as sheds and summer houses, before the clock change.

What garden security checks should homeowners make before the clocks go back?

As the evenings start to get darker, there are a few key areas homeowners should check to assess how secure their garden is.

Assess for easy access

Easy-access gardens are more likely to be targeted due to convenience. Check for low or damaged fencing, unsecured side or rear access, and gates with poor or easily bypassed locks, such as a simple ring latch or thumb latch.

Intruders may also look for anything that could be easily climbed on or used to get over garden walls and fences, including wheelie bins, ladders that are left outside, garden furniture, or even a pergola positioned too close to the boundary.

It’s also worth checking for overgrown shrubs or other areas that could provide cover while someone attempts to access the property.

Look for weak points in garden buildings

As garden buildings, such as summerhouses, sheds, and studios can contain valuables and in tools sometimes essential to a livelihood, checking the security of the buildings themselves is vital. Look for rusted or exposed hinges, weak padlocks, damaged doors, rotten frames and vulnerable windows, and anything that can be easily manipulated or broken to gain access.

Check what’s visible from outside

A surefire way to become a target is to expose valuables to those outside the property. Make sure expensive tools, bikes, garden machinery, and other valuables are not easily visible from the street or other public access points.

Test your security after dark

If homeowners have had security measures such as CCTV installed, it is important that this is tested after dark, if it hasn’t been already. Check for poorly lit paths, side entrances, and garden buildings, as well as dark areas where someone could approach or hide without being seen. Identify the blind spots, take note, and respond accordingly.

What are some easy garden security upgrades that won’t break the bank?

Not everyone will have the budget to install a sophisticated bells and whistles security system in their back garden, especially before the clocks go back, but there are some easy, cost-effective solutions that could help protect your garden and garden buildings.

Upgrade the locks on garden buildings

If your shed, summer house, or garden studio has weak or worn locks, replace them as soon as possible. For garden buildings storing higher-value items, a recommended 12-point locking system can provide extra protection by securing the door in several places through a combination of bolts and latches.

For sheds, check for damaged hinges and consider investing in a heavy-duty, closed-shackle padlock, which leaves less metal exposed for bolt cutters. Also, make sure the metal fitting holding the padlock is securely fixed with strong bolts rather than basic screws, and choose rust-resistant hardware designed for outdoor use.

Where possible, secure valuable tools and equipment inside the building too, so they cannot simply be removed if access is gained.

Plant a natural burglar barrier

Thorny and prickly plants can be an alternative, attractive, and natural way to make vulnerable boundaries and access points more difficult to cross. Luckily, autumn is also a good time to plant many of the recommended hardy shrubs, while the soil is still warm and moist.

Suitable options for creating a more difficult-to-cross boundary include berberis, chaenomeles, and climbing roses. For year-round cover and protection, consider evergreen varieties such as pyracantha, osmanthus, holly, and mahonia.

However, homeowners with children and/or pets should check a plant's toxicity before adding it to the garden. Several popular defensive plants can produce berries or other parts that may be harmful if eaten, including holly, pyracantha, mahonia, and privet. If children or pets are likely to eat berries, leaves, or other plant material, choose carefully and check the specific variety before planting.

Use gravel as a low-cost alarm

An easy way to create a low-cost burglar alarm is to add gravel to paths or around vulnerable access points, as this can make it harder for someone to approach quietly. Any footsteps are more likely to create noise if someone walks across the stones.

Focus on areas such as side gates, narrow access routes, and around garden buildings where an intruder may otherwise be able to move through the garden unnoticed.

Install motion-activated lighting

Lights around side passages, gates, and garden buildings can make dark areas less appealing to intruders by increasing visibility and reducing places to hide. Motion-activated lights can also alert homeowners to movement outside, removing the need to leave a light on outside all night long.

When installing security lighting, check the brightness before positioning carefully. Choose an appropriate wattage for the area, and angle your lights downwards towards your property to avoid unnecessary glare or light spilling into neighbouring gardens and windows.

Add a visible security deterrent

Homeowners without the budget to invest in a CCTV or alarm system can still take advantage of simple visual deterrents. Security or alarm signage, “Beware of the Dog” stickers, and other clearly visible security measures can help make a property appear to be a less attractive target, as opportunistic intruders may not be willing to risk calling the homeowner’s bluff.

Source : Dunster House

Image : Kunlathida6242 / shutterstock / 2490219959

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