Planting Protection

using plants to help secure your garden

• Hostile plants are those that sting or have thorns - a great deterrent to potential thieves.
• Use hostile plants such as hawthorn or holly to supplement existing boundaries
• As a beneficial by-product, hostile plants offer good homes to wildlife
• Use hostile plants around drainpipes and below windows.
• Ensure trees and shrubs are well pruned - especially near outbuildings and expensive garden items
• Hostile plants as identified at www.met.police.uk
• Some plants can be dangerous, particularly to young children. A useful list of these can be found at www.rhs.org.uk 
• Don't let Tommy T Leaf get away with it - protect your property today.

Hostile Planting Guide

Holly, which makes an excellent hedge and can grow to 6 – 15m high if allowed to.

Gorse, which grows well in exposed areas but it is a slow grower and rarely exceeds 1.5m.

Blackthorn, a medium fast grower, which can reach the same height as Holly (the added advantage is that its berries can be used to make sloe gin).

Hawthorn, a slow grower, but it will flourish in most types of ground. Can reach anywhere between 1 – 5m.

Pyracantha (Firethorn) is particularly useful for growing up walls or fences. It will grow almost anywhere as long as it gets some sun, and can reach 4m high.