Some plants and shrubs are excellent in helping to protect your property.
You can beat thiefs by using a natural line of defence, the plants themselves. They can be especially useful when trying to prevent access over fences and walls or even under your windows.
They are environmentally friendly and can attract wildlife to your garden. You can train branches along the tops of fences and walls to make things more difficult for anyone attempting to climb over.
Here are some of the best.
Pyracantha
This is my personal favourite as not only are the thorny branches and very useful on fences and walls, it is also an extremely beautiful shrub.
Common Hawthorn (Crataegus Monogyna)
This forms a fantastic impenetrable barrier. Plant in a staggered row, 4 to 1 metre.
Berberis Gagnepanii
This shrub has small dense prickly evergreen leaves, it is extremely suitable grown as a low hedge.
Common Gorse (Ulex Europaeus)
This viciously spiny shrun grows 4-5 feet in height.
Berberis Stenophylla
Use as a hedge or shrub. Allow two plants per metre.
Rosa Fruhlings Gold Yellow
This fragrant old fashioned rose is densely prickly - the perfect deterant.