Many of us think of our garden as a peaceful oasis – a place where we come to relax and unwind after a long day. But it can also be the first place that unwanted animals and people enter on the way to your home.
Though we often think about securing the borders of our houses first, the garden should also be seen as a priority line of defense from would-be burglars.
If there are multiple access points on your property where a thief can stay hidden, it may be time to think twice about the current security situation. The good news is that many measures nowadays, especially those that include smart technology, can give you greater peace of mind.
In this article, we’re going to dive in on how to step up your home garden security without ever having to sacrifice the look of your garden paradise.
Keeping Rabbits, Deer, (and People) Out of Your Garden
There are some tried and true methods you can implement when protecting your garden against potential burglars:
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Use plants to your advantage - Thorny, prickly, and thick plants are your new best friend. They keep the burglars out while also looking attractive. Keep in mind that planting low-growing shrubs is the most effective deterrent of trespassers since they cannot hide in shorter vegetation.
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Lock the shed - This is possibly one of the most overlooked items in your garden, but if left unsupervised, it’s practically a free pass for the burglars to break in. Since most garden sheds contain valued goods such as bikes or gardening equipment, we advise giving your shed a check. Watch out for any cracks or gaps that can pose a threat and invest in a quality outdoor padlock.
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Secure the gate - At one point or another, we’ve all been guilty of leaving our gates or backdoors open. The best way to sleep peacefully at night is to ensure that your gate is shut and secured adequately. You may also consider investing in a driveway or property alarm system, such as the Guardline 500ft Wireless Driveway Alarm, which will alert you if anyone moves around your gate while attempting to break-in.
- Improve the lighting - Light up the outside of your home so thieves can’t hide. You should consider installing motion detectors in combination with automatic lighting to scare off any would-be burglars.
Keep Critters Out! Protection from Pesky Pests
Of course, people are not the only threat to your property. As we are all aware, gardening can be pretty time-consuming. You invest a lot of time and effort into growing your favorite herbs, fruit, and vegetables, only to have them ruined by a greedy rabbit or groundhog.
So for gardeners, figuring out how to critter-proof your garden is a top priority. In that case, what’s a nature-loving greenskeeper to do?
First things first, you need to know your intruder. Look for clues and footprints. Identifying footprints can then help you choose the best protection method. For instance, building a fence to keep the animals out. For larger animals such as deer, it’s best to put a two fence system (two shorter ones in a row), while for burrowing critters like rabbits and groundhogs, you should dig your fence deeper into the ground.
Another great way is to use plants as natural scent repellents. For example, deer and groundhogs are generally put off by aromatic herbs such as basil, rosemary, or lavender. Similarly, marigolds are proven scent repellents for rabbits, while pepper and cayenne will deter squirrels.
Unfortunately, for every benefit, there’s a drawback.
- Fences can be unsightly and expensive.
- Planting various aromatics, herbs, and flowers and maintaining them is time-consuming because they need to be monitored and reapplied to remain effective. This makes your garden a form of labor instead of a peaceful oasis.
So, if you genuinely want to be “smart” about your garden, you should consider investing in some high-quality gadgets that will give you greater peace of mind.
Adding a Motion Sensor to Your Garden
Just like everything else in our life, our gardens have become “smart.” Everything from app-controlled sprinkler systems to robotic lawnmowers will provide valuable help while saving you time and energy. Motion sensors are the latest upgrade to the smart garden arsenal.
The primary purpose of motion detection is to sense an intruder and send an alert. Ultrasonic motion sensors use sound frequencies beyond human hearing to detect small vibrations that people or animals cause when they move through an area.
Nobody wants their security system to go off by random birds or bugs flying around, so proper placement is vital to ensure that your security system responds the way it is supposed to. A good garden motion sensor alarm like the Guardline Driveway Alarm will provide you with enough coverage but minimize false alarms. With the option to add up to 16 sensors, there’s no part of your property it can’t cover. This plug-and-play device is effortless to set up, weather-resistant and wireless. Regardless of the size or layout of your home and property, you can have enough receivers to be alerted every time a real threat tries to invade your garden.
To Sum Up
Never underestimate the importance of garden security. Protecting your home and valuables doesn’t have to come at a great cost or a lack of aesthetics. Instead, you should invest in high-quality garden security equipment like the Guardline Driveway Alarm, as it leaves you in total control, so even when you're not at home, you can see what's happening. It will make the intruders think twice before entering your garden.
