Landscaping for Security

Having a nice, landscaped yard is not just for curb appeal. By implementing some simple design ideas, you can make your yard not only beautiful but also security conscience.

When designing your yard, you want to eliminate as many hiding spots as possible. Some things to consider are the type of vegetation that you want to plant. Thorny bushes and plants are great deterrents that can also be very decorative. For example, rose bushes are beautiful, but also have sharp thorns. Be mindful of the environment and climate where you live to make sure the vegetation you choose will thrive. You can easily achieve this by consulting with a local horticulturist or botanist. Some good questions to inquire about are growth rate, plant care, and how weather resistant the plant is. A good rule of thumb when trimming your plants is the 6-foot/2-foot rule. Ground plants should not be manicured higher than two feet, while trees or other tall plants should not hang below six feet. This helps to eliminate any readily available hiding spots.

When planning your landscape design, you want to make sure that you have clear lines of sight to help create natural surveillance. It is also important to keep your yard neat and trimmed which helps show that you are vigilant about your property and aware of what is going on in the yard. This may also discourage an unwanted person from targeting your residence as a yard that is unkept projects a lack of caring.

As you can see in the picture above, simple yard maintenance creates a sense of ownership, natural lines of surveillance, more eyes on the home from the street, and defined territory lines.

The property example above went from a perceived uncared-for building to an appearance of well-manicured and kept landscaping.

Some other things that you can use in your landscape design that may help you mitigate threats are:

• Use of gravel around the exterior of your home or as walkways. Gravel amplifies the sound and can help be a warning of an unwanted guest.
• Decorative lighting that highlights and illuminates the yard and blind spots to prevent areas that are easy to hide in. To learn more about lighting, please read our recently shared posted on “Lighting for Security”.
• Putting a fence up is another option to consider. This helps to reinforce your territory, while also creating access control for your home. Clear boundaries and access points help limit the chances of unwanted breaches.

Making some simple changes to your yard can make its appearance look well-maintained and taken care of, which may help reduce the chances of criminal activity taking place. For more information or questions, please contact us at: https://www.fc-llc.org/contact-us/

Sources:

https://www.safety.com/how-smart-landscaping-can-prevent-burglars-and-improve-your-home-security/

https://www.installitdirect.com/learn/home-security-landscaping-tips-easy-ways-to-make-your-home-safer/