Landscape Design for Improved Home Security

September is peak time for landscaping and landscape design in San Antonio—and doing so has many benefits. It can create a backyard oasis, add aesthetic appeal to your home, and increase the value of your property. But did you know that a well-maintained lawn could help burglar-proof your home as well? While it might not seem obvious, a well-thought-out design can improve your home’s security.

Read on to learn how smart landscaping tricks can make your home safer and keep burglars off your property.

Increase Visibility

One of the first steps to improving your home’s safety is maximizing visibility. In other words, make sure there’s no greenery blocking your windows, doors, or peepholes. Be sure to keep overhanging trees trimmed and any shrubs or bushes at bay. For hedges and shrubs along windows, ensure they don’t grow higher than three feet to remove any potential screens or hiding places for thieves.

To deter intruders, create a barrier of prickly plants along common entryways, like windows and doors. Consider planting giant rhubarb or gooseberry bushes, as either option can make your home more secure with their foliage and spiny bushes. Other natural plant barriers include Blue Spruce, Mountain Pine, Purple Berberis, and Firethorn.

If you’d prefer another option, consider gravel, as the loud noise it makes when walked over will keep intruders away. Simply cover the areas adjacent to your property’s perimeter to burglar-proof your home.

Keep it Clean

Maintaining a clean lawn is essential to your home’s security. A trimmed lawn, pruned trees, and green grass often gives the impression that you’re aware of your home’s appearance, keeping a watchful eye on your home, and monitoring the space around it—even when you’re away.

Creating a schedule is the best way to maintain a manicured lawn. Set a watering schedule for certain times of the week to water your lawn and plants. Whether manually or via a sprinkler, watering our lawn on a regular basis will ensure a healthy-looking lawn and keep intruders off.

A similar schedule for trimming plants and mowing your lawn has the same effect.

Install Lights

A well-lit lawn or backyard is another excellent way to discourage burglars making your home a target. If you don’t want to keep lights on throughout the night, consider installing motion sensor lighting. That way, lights will turn on if any uninvited guests decide to walk across your lawn.

Hang lights in trees, along windows, and include lights along pathways to ensure your backyard is fully lit. If you’re able to see your entire backyard from the inside of your home—regardless of the hour—thieves will think twice before stepping foot on your property.

Fence It Up

If you choose to install a fence around your home, make sure it’s done properly—anything else just deters from your home’s aesthetic appeal.

Make sure the fence is difficult to climb and that the top surface is either pointed or uneven (think: the pointed tips of a picket fence). Ensure the fence locks as well, and avoid choosing a design that’s easy to open from the outside in.

In the same regard, avoid placing any fence-like accessories, like trellises and lattices, near windows or doors. While they might look nice, they’re easy to climb and give burglars a way to come in you home second story windows or other hidden entryways.

Get a Quote

Selecting the best landscape design for your home can be challenging; making sure your choices also include proper security measures can be downright overwhelming. To feel at ease, give our team at ABC Home and Commercial San Antonio a call. Our team of experts and trained designers will work with you to ensure you’re choosing the best design for your home and keeping your possessions and family safe.