Landscape to
Enhance the Security of Your Home
Yup, landscaping can make your home less attractive to
burglars and still be attractive.
Burglars like to observe their targets before they strike.
They may look for a quick strike at a home that offers them the opportunity to
look into a window and hide behind shrubbery.
Take a look at your property and consider these things:
Where would you hide?
Can you get into a flower bed and look into your windows and not
be seen from the street?
Do you have really dark areas around your home?
There are simple options that can solve these problems
without breaking your bank.
Instead of planting smooth leafed plants close to you
windows, consider thorny bushes. There are attractive bushes that defend
themselves with thorns. Consider the pyracantha
bush. You may have to wear gloves to trim this jewel; bad guys will not hide
close to it. Holly and cactus are other plants that deter close contact! These
types of plants can be decorative and appealing to the eye. You don’t have to choose
ugly plants for protection.
Lighting can be a dramatic landscaping tool. Properly used,
it can highlight and focus attention on outstanding features of your home.
Lighting can also erase dark spaces that bad guys use for cover. Another option
is a solar powered light that includes a motion detector. These only turn on
when something moves in a specific detection cone and does not draw current
from your home. These solar lights work even when power has been interrupted.
Areas to consider lighting with solar lights:
Pathway
Drive way
Corners (use motion detectors)
Alcoves (use motion detectors)
Remember: You can increase the security of your home with
surprise landscaping.