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Gardening for Security
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The importance of stopping prowlers and burglars from
wandering through your rear garden is obvious. The only trouble is that
not everybody wants to live with a back garden that resembles a prisoner
of war camp, with barbed wire fences around the perimeter. It's for this
reason that most residents prefer to use Mother Nature's own barbed
wire, a prickly bush.
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Trees
Trees are often chosen for their quick growing ability
rather than with a view towards aiding natural surveillance. Hedges made
from Cypress Leylandii are ideal for providing privacy, but
they may stop neighbours from seeing a burglar breaking into a home after
he's pushed through the bushes. If a holly such as Ilex Aquifolium
was planted instead, you would still have privacy, but few thieves would
get through. The hawthorn Paul Scarlet (Coccinea Plena)
not only bears beautiful scarlet coloured blossoms, but has prickly
thorns. This is normally the best choice for an average rear garden, as
being deciduous, it sheds its leaves in Autumn, letting neighbours see
your home in Winter.
Climbing Plants
Drain pipes giving access to flat roofs and windows,
can easily be protected by barbed wire or anti-climb paint. Think how much
nicer a rambling rose such as Leverkusen, which grows to about 10'
in height and produces pale yellow flowers, would be. There are numerous
other species to suit your needs, whether you want height, colour or
scent. Some types are more vigorous in their growth, with Lawrence
Johnston reaching a height of 30'.
Shrubs
There are numerous varieties of prickly deciduous
shrubs, which may be used as an effective barrier. Growing prickly shrubs
next to your wall or fence would deter most criminals from climbing over.
Suitable Prickly Plants
| Berberis x Ottawensis
Medium sized deciduous shrub with green or
oval leaves.
Red berries in Autumn.
Reaches 6'
Good for hedging
| Winter Sun (Mahonia x
media)
Vigorous evergreen shrub up to 10' tall
Yellow flowers in Autumn/Winter
Berries in late Winter
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| Berberis x Stenophylla
Medium sized evergreen shrub
Golden-yellow flowers in Apil/May
Berries in Autumn
Reaches 6'
Good for hedging
| Blackthorn or Sloe (Prunus
Spinosa)
Dense shrub
White flowers in April/May
Good hedging plant
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| Pink Lady (Chaenomeles x
superba)
Deciduous shrub
Pink flowers in Spring & yellow quinces
in Autumn
Fast grower
Can be trained against a wall
| Firethorn (Pyracantha
Orange Glow)
Evergreen shrub
Reaches 16' as a wall shrub
White flowers in May, red berries into
Winter
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| Common Hawthorn (Crataegus
monogyna)
Fragrant white flowers in May & red
"haws" in Autumn
Forms an impenetrable hedge.
| Firethorn (Pyracantha
"Golden Chamber")
Vigorous evergreen shrub
White flowers in May, followed by yellow
fruits
Ideal as a wall shrub
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| Sea Buckthorn (Hippophae
rhamnoides)
Shrub growing up to 10'
Silvery leaves in Summer followed by yellow
berries
Plant in groups for pollination.
| "Rubra" (Rosa
rugosa)
Strong perpetual flowering shrub up to 6'
tall
Crimson flowers followed by red heps
Forms dense thickets & excellent hedges.
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| Reproduced by kind permission of the South
Trafford Crime Prevention Panel
Author: PC Chris Mackenzie, Assistant Force CSO, GMP
Copyright © 1995, Greater Manchester Police |
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