Our home is located in what is considered a fringe area where redevelopment is slated to occur. Because of this, we have been concerned about the possibility of crime in our neighborhood. The backyard is surrounded by a 6 foot privacy fence. We used to consider this a reasonable protection for the rear of the house. However, since the break-in that occurred during our honeymoon, we no longer feel this way.
To aid in the protection of the rear of the house, we are going to plant a series of prickly and spiny plants along the fence. Hopefully, this will reduce the amount of foot traffic that occurs in the area behind our yard. A quick search on Google revealed these plants as being good candidates for this purpose:
* Bromeliads –
many have thorns eg Ananas spp., Cryptanthus spp., Dyckia spp., etc.
* Palms –
eg Phoenix roebelenii, Pigafetta filaris, Daemonorops mollis, Calamus australias, Aiphanes caryotifolia, etc.
* Cycads –
many cycads have sharp pointed leaflets eg. Cycas revoluta, Dioon edule, Encephalartos spp., etc.
* Cactus –
an obvious choice for spiky plants eg. Cerus spp., Lemaireocereus thurberi, Echinopsis multiplex, Echinocactus spp., Pereskia aculeata, etc.
* Succulents -
many of these have thorns and spines eg. Euphorbia milii, Aloe spp., Agave spp.
* Climbers –
Bougainvillea spp, Smilax spp., Quisqualis indica, etc.
* Other Shrubs –
Grevillea acanthifolia, Carissa grandiflora, Polyscias guilfoylei, Ilex spp., Rosa (cultivars), Berberis spp., Pyracantha spp., Lycium ferocissimum, Isopogon spp., Acacia spinesvens, etc.
* Other Sharp Foliage Plants -
Kniphofia uvaria, Cymbopogon citratus, Protoasparagus spp., etc.
This is an ongoing list so please send any ideas you have on home security to kevin@kevinanddelphine.com