Garden Break in

[Greenfingers Jo]

Last weekend I picked up some Hebes and Ferns from B+Q  on the cheap 50 p for three .

I potted them up put them where I would pop them inthe ground to see if they'd like it.
Having just been in the garden in appears that someone has been in and taken a pick of the lot.  ??? >:( >:( >:( :-[
Definitely not kids or animals as the plant and some of the pots are missing.

RAH!!! I want to rant at whoever did it. Its not the plants, they were in my back garden and I feel so violated.

To combat this happenning I have to go OTT in securing the garden. I've measured up and I've got 102 ft c31 m to stop whoever getting in again.

My options are
1. Stock fencing with barbed wire with pyracanthas, hawthorn, blackthorn and holly.
2. A shot gun (only joking!) ;D
3 Or a variation on 1

I would like to make the place as secure as possible without making it look like I've got something or value. I live right next to a footpath which leads to the most deprived part of the city and next door have had break ins to their garage and shed.


If anyone has got suggestions of how to get this really secure in a subtle way and obvious with a minimum outlay I'd be very grateful

Thanks
Jo

[Greenfingers Jo]

[agapanthus]

I'm so sorry to hear that :( I was burgled once and totally understand the feeling of violation. Think barbed wire and thorny bushes sound a great idea. Can you interlace with razorwire so it's not seen? Probably illegal but then stealing is!

[Robert_Brenchley]

I know how you feel; I've been there myself. I used thorn hedge reinforced with clefrt chestnut, but it didn't keep them out. I eventually worked out that the person doing it ended up crawling through a small hole under my neighbour's hedge, then getting through my side hedge. I finally stopped it with broken glass concealed in the undergrowth she had to crawl through, and I hope it hurt.

[Greenfingers Jo]

Thank you for your kind words.  ;DI had my GW yesterday with my 10% off card and it turns out my favourite nursey is on there. I know them well enough to be cheeky about bulk buying. Guess where I'm off tomorrow?! ;D

Thanks for the ideas. I'm not so sure about the glass :-\ but I've cleared so much up from the bit next to the foot path might as well put it to some use. ::)

My OH thought there was someone in the garden on Thurs night but with shadow and road noise it is easy to be mistaken.
Still might get the shot gun and a rocking chair. I'd love to shout "get off my land!"
Jo

[Anne Robertson]

Aldi have a colour security camera for £24 at the moment, looks good.

[Roy Bham UK]

It does make you angry when you get uninvited yobs, I know we had three break ins two were after we had an alarm fitted. :o
By making your property well secured, ie. Barbed and razor wire broken glass etc. you may be hampering the emergency services, should you need them.

Bare in mind that the thieves still have their rights in so much as you can’t hurt them whilst they are trying to rob you. ::) (Or has that been changed? Or are they still trying to change it?) ???
The CCTV camera from Aldi sounds a real bargain and a better solution but print a few warning signs and put them in less conspicuous places so as not to frighten the neighbours but in full view of the would be thief. :P

Cheap black & white cameras work better than cheap colour cameras at night. ;)

[Robert_Brenchley]

I was on the point of installing a camera and planting double snowdrops (which my persecutors were obsessed with) in front of it a couple of years ago, then he died and it knocked the stuffing out of her. I got a few breakins the following year, but nothing much taken apart from a barrel, and then the glass finished it. There's plenty of glass in the hedge bottoms anyway after 165 years, so it was totally deniable, and it would have finished her on the site if my highly irascible neighbour had found out she was crawling through his hedge.

[Greenfingers Jo]

Have been to the nursery and because I know them well enough from a work sort of thing too, they have said they would order the pyracantha at cost for me!!! ;D ;D ;D

So a BIG THANKS to BRYNCETHIN NURSERY BRIDGEND SOUTH WALES. They have lots of nice holly a £4 each for a 2ft ish plant.

Also been and priced up stock fencing, posts and barbed wire. c£250 to keep them out.!!!
I've also seen in www.tlc.co.uk, security lights that only come on above average pet height.
Will be putting up these on  the weekend too.
Feel better that I'm doing something.
Jo

[ellkebe]

Jo - it's horrible when that happens.   Hope you get it all sorted, and glad you're not letting it get you down.

[joji]

Does your front door over look your garden?
If it does argos do a spy hole sized cctv camara so no one will know it is there. :)

[Apple Dumpling]

An electric cattle fence seems appealing at times. And with a line set at 6inchs high it might stop the neighbours cats too.

[Dan 2]

:( Sorry aboout the break in, hope things get bettre for you. Dan :-)

[MrsKP]

Bare in mind that the thieves still have their rights

that is the big problem of life in this country today.  but that's probably for another thread on the watershed.

sorry to hear about your thieves Jo (although you did remind me of Rosemary and Thyme on saturday night  :P)

i am very worried about my new palacial garden/shed. i have an open path from the (non-existant) gate up the side of the house, leaving open access to the back garden.

i've not heard about many break-ins round these parts but am stumped as to how i'm going to protect my land short of erecting a glass topped fence round the plot (which would then throw a huge shadow over the whole of the garden.

i'm wondering if keeping my fingers crossed will work.

::)

[John_H]

I would be tempted to use a fast growing blackberry or other briar fruit. Not just because the thorns will discourage unwanted visitors, but the fruit will be some reward to you for having to put up with an additional security measure.

Being able to identify some gain (i.e. the fruit) from the additional work someone else has forced you to carry out may help to reduce the anoyance over time.

[pntalbot]

Never been broken into, since we got a `GSD`

[MrsKP]

Good Solid Dog ??   :o

[supersprout]

If you're looking for a security hedge Mrskp, have you found Buckingham Nurseries - you can choose scented, edible fruited, autumn colour, good for wildlife etc. as well as armed and dangerous ;D. The bushes don't seem too expensive (I'm still thinking about buying jostaberries at B.N.) but even if you can get bushes locally the ideas are good. Here's the link: http://www.buckingham-nurseries.co.uk/acatalog/securityhedging.html

[MrsKP]

wo wo wo sweet baby jesus.

beats broken glass every time.

and i paid £7.99 each for two tiny junior holly twigs a little while ago but then i did go to a garden centre  :'( ..... and i only wanted them for the berries for the birds.  :o

we shall investigate further ........ to be continued

cheers  ;)

[carloso]

carpet gripper nailed to the top of the fence or just on your side works nice for sticky fingers and cats !

Carl

[Andy H]

Option 2 works every time ;D :-X