How to Use Landscaping to Upgrade Your Home Security
When considering options for your home security, tools such as security alarms and camera systems are the first to come to mind, but did you know you can use landscaping as well? There are strategic landscaping techniques that can be used in conjunction with traditional security to keep your home safe and secure. In comparison to an outdoor security system, landscaping can also be more inconspicuous and physically stop potential home invaders before they can get to your door.
Use of Lighting
Strategically placed outdoor lighting can deter anyone looking to break in by eliminating any dark places they may be able to hide. Outdoor lighting can also serve the benefit of increasing nighttime visibility for anyone coming to or from your home after the sun goes down. Many outdoor security lights have motion detection features that turns them on when it senses anyone approaching near it. This will keep burglars from sneaking around while saving energy and money on your electricity bill.
Create a Barrier Using Shrubs
You can also use plants with defense mechanisms on the outside of your home to naturally deter intruders. When choosing where to plant barrier shrubs with thorns or prickly stems, identify your property’s weak areas or blind spots. Prickly shrubs will do well specifically around first floor windows that are closer to the ground and more vulnerable to invasion. Roses, yucca, and pyracantha, also known as the firethorn bush, are all good options for deterrent shrubs.
While you might want to keep your shrubbery to a minimum for a clean exterior, there is a benefit to keeping some areas of landscaping denser. This technique can make it more difficult for burglars to roam freely on your property without you knowing. If placed strategically, thicker foliage can even funnel people into an open area that you can keep brightly lit by the outdoor lighting mentioned before.
A creative way to give your home more privacy is using tall shrubs to build a kind of “green fence”. These hedges can serve the purpose of being both functional and aesthetically pleasing. Planting them in the right place will hide any items you may keep in your yard. Some shrubs can even be dense enough to act as a sound barrier between you and any neighbors that may try to eavesdrop. As with the other natural solutions mentioned, it is important to maintain the upkeep of these plants by not letting them get weak or overgrown. Only plants in the best condition can do their job of keeping your home safe.
Upgrade Your Home’s Security with Eddington Landscaping
At Eddington Landscaping, we help our customers create the perfect landscaped yard for their needs. Since 2011, we have worked to help homeowners, property management companies and businesses create the perfect landscapes that meet their budget and maintenance requirements. To learn more, call us today at (512) 432-4866 or request a quote here.
