Top tips to ensure your garden is secure this summer

Summer sun and security – top tips to ensure your garden is secure this summer

As the days get longer and the temperature gets warmer, we love to make the most of our outdoor spaces.

We prepare by getting out the garden furniture, pottering around the plants and, if the weather permits, we might even break out the barbecue. But, what you may not have considered is that to prepare our homes for the warmer months ahead, we also need to upgrade our garden security.

Overgrown hedges and bushes offer up the perfect camouflage for opportunists in your area to hide out in your garden, allowing them to scope out your home undetected. Which is why, when the greenery in your garden starts growing, you need to think like a burglar, and ensure your garden security is up to scratch.

The experts here at Yale have shared their top tips and advice to ensure your garden is ‘guardin’ your home this summer, and through to the following seasons.

Tip 1 – Fix up your fencing

Think of your fencing as the first line of defence for your home. Particularly in the back garden, a strong, secure fence will add a significant level of protection for your property and will most likely keep any green-fingered criminals at bay.

If you’ve had a particular harsh winter season, the chances are your fencing may be slightly worse for wear, so it’s worthwhile inspecting the perimeter of your property to check this is all up to scratch. Even just one loose or broken fence panel could provide easy access into your garden, potentially putting your home at risk.

And what’s more, a nice, neat looking fence will not only deter criminals, but also make your outdoor area look much more appealing to friends and family visiting during the summer season.

Tip 2 – Cutting back on the criminals

Whilst a fence can provide significant protection and make your garden look neat and tidy, the same should be said for your shrubbery, trees and hedges.

With the warmer months allowing our gardens to flourish, with fresh lawn, new shrubs, plants and luscious leaves, although it might look appealing to you, it also does to criminals. This greenery acts as the perfect hiding spots for opportunists, who will hide behind any kind of hedge, bush or tree to stay undetected.

Once the warmer months arrive, we would recommend cutting back overgrown hedges and trees as much as possible to keep these hiding spots to a minimum, whilst also keeping your garden looking appealing to the right kind of guests.

Tip 3 – Getting out the garden furniture

And with the summer months willing us to get the barbecue up and running and garden furniture out on the decking, we’d also recommend keeping this secured when it’s not in use.

When opportunists are scoping out a property, they may not come prepared, so will use anything lying around to use it against you. This means that garden chairs are perfect to step on to reach windows or could even be used to force entry in some cases.

So, although we want to enjoy socialising with friends and family in the garden, when it’s not in use, we would recommend storing your garden furniture securely either in a garage or shed with a maximum security padlock and chain.

Tip 4 – Shed security

Talking of sheds, they are the perfect addition to a garden to protect your tools, furniture and expensive bikes or machinery. Not only do the make a nice addition to your garden, but they are also essential for keeping your items secure and out of reach of opportunists.

We would recommend keeping tools locked away securely in or secured with a padlock and chain, and the same can be said for lawnmowers and other power tools.

And don’t forget…always secure your shed from the outside with a maximum security padlock that provides protection against a range of attack methods. Criminals will often easily break into sheds as they have minimal security as standard, so are easy pickings for criminals looking for tools to either use in the burglary or sell on.

Tip 5 – Don’t fall victim to the ‘green-eyed’ monster

Finally, once your garden perimeter is secured, garden furniture packed away and shed is locked up, you can add a final level of protection with an outdoor security camera.

Smart security systems and floodlight cameras are a perfect addition to a garden, particularly at this time of year. Not only do some kits come with a light installed to brighten up your patio or decking spaces, both for entertaining guests and keeping a close eye on movement around the garden, but they are also perfect to keep tabs on your outdoor space whilst you’re out.

Smart security cameras are a great investment for the modern-day homeowner, as they allow users to monitor the outside of their home or garden via their smartphone. Whether at work or enjoying time with friends at the bar, whatever the time of day or night, homeowners can monitor their property with just the tap of a button. And of course, when the product has a built-in security light, this will immediately deter the burglar, as they will not want to be caught red-handed.

So, with the summer in full swing, ensure your garden security is up to scratch to enjoy all the festivities of the season ahead.

For more advice and top tips on how to secure your home and garden, or to find out more about the range of security products from Yale, visit your local site.