Wall shrub/climber to increase security - suggestions?

20 years ago

I intercepted an intruder in my back garden last night (I saw the security light go on then spotted the guy sneaking across my lawn - when he saw me he scarpered). It makes me think that the 6ft wall bordering my garden isn't enough and that I should plant something thorny along it to make things less easy. Currently there are two jasmines and a rather leggy, not very thorny climbing rose planted along the wall but I think he made it over the wall in a spot where another shrub had been removed earlier in the year.

So, I've been looking at the suggestions given by the various police authorities on increasing security in the garden. Among the things they suggested were pyracantha, various berberis, rosa rugosa, sea buckthorn, ribes speciosum, chaenomeles, hawthorn, blackthorn. I'm not considering holly as I've had one out there in another spot for 6 years and it's just not growing.

So there are various possibilities but I am wondering which would suit my conditions best. The soil is quite clayey and about 18 inches down just turns into hardcore (garden was new build on a brownfield site). The wall is south-facing and the soil tends to be dry in summer, less so in winter. It's near to the house and I'm in a high risk subsidence area so I need to think about possibilities which won't undermine the foundations longer term.

Ideally the wall shrub will be something which won't come out a long way from the wall in terms of depth or can be clipped to keep it in bounds. I am also considering planting something which can go under the back window and cope with being kept to 1metre tall, though this isn't such a priority. Wildlife value is a bonus though I should think most of the berrying shrubs will be useful. There is some atmospheric pollution around here as it's not that far from a main road but it's not terrible by London standards.

With all those criteria in mind, do you have any suggestions on which might do best or which I should avoid? I have a feeling pyrancantha is the obvious choice but it would be nice to bear other alternatives in mind too.

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Comments (13)

calypso
20 years ago
I would agree with pyracantha as the best choice. You can clip it to keep it in shape, it grows quite fast is very prickly and I have one growing in the clay spoil from the bottom of a pond so they are pretty tough. The berries don't last long though as the birds go for them.
[Hollies all take ages to get established]
crazylady
20 years ago
Blackthorn has vicious long spikes but lovely elegant flowers in spring. You can also chop it as required. When we had a hedge of it, we got flocks of fieldfares eating the berries in autumn. Plus you can make sloe gin if you're so inclined and have the patience to pierce all the berries individually.
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pineresin
20 years ago
Rosa canina - hooked thorns that don't let go easily, on long rambling stems.

Otherwise, how about Rhus radicans?

Resin
irishguy
20 years ago
I agree that Pyracantha is your best bet. The rose Maigold with lovely scented yellow flowers has wicked thorns and grows about 10 feet, it might be worth a go. Personally I would top the wall with wire attached to posts and increase your height by about 3 feet, then allow a mixture of climbers such as roses, clematis honeysuckle etc to disguise it.
toutou2
20 years ago
roses:paul's himalayan musk,mermaid(mean),rambling rector,xantophyllum piperatum or rhus toxicodendron
fluffygrue
20 years ago
There's loads of vicious rambling roses - we've planted one on the outside of our wall with the intention of training it horizontally along the top of the wall.. If it works, it'll look gorgeous, and hopefully keep out the neighbours' cats!

We went for Rosa 'Seagull', but there's plenty of others.
alison_froglady
20 years ago
I would also go with the Pyracantha as the berries are a wonderful food for the thrushes, blackbirds etc in the colder months. Also the new growth in spring makes wonderful nesting material for bluetits. They love to take the fresh light green leaves for soft bedding. The bush can just be left to it's own devices as it is happy to just get on and grow. It is really quite prickly but I think that a ramblingrose is more deadly with it's thorns.
Good luck with whatever you put up to stop intruders.
Alison

Here is a link that might be useful: Alisons pond and garden
lori_londonuk
Original Author
20 years ago
Thanks for all the suggestions. At the moment I am wavering between pyracantha and rambling rose. I already have one rambling rose which does very well in this soil, but it isn't a very thorny variety so I will see what else is on sale around here, and bear the suggestions in mind. The only reason I have been undecided about the pyracantha was that it was very widely planted by the estate management around here - next to walls, unsurprisingly - almost too much of a good thing.

I have really sensitive skin and am a bit concerned rhus toxicodendron would end up being a problem for me if I inadvertently brushed on it (I didn't even know it was available in this country).
flora_uk
20 years ago
When we were burgled the police said that what they really hate is rickety rotting trellis which makes climbing difficult and dangerous - but I don't suppose that's a look you want! I think I would go for thorny roses. Pyracantha is a great shrub but not terribly exciting for a small garden where everything had to pay its way. Our walls are also about 6 foot with 2 foot of trellis on top. Roses thread happily through the trellis but don't take up as much space on the ground as a pyracantha would. (p.s. we were burgled before the trellis was added)
calypso
20 years ago
Just an aside re crazylady on sloe gin! Rather than pricking all the sloes individually with a pin, it's much easier to put them in the freezer overnight before soaking them.
lori_londonuk
Original Author
20 years ago
I got both a climbing rose and a pyracantha for different spots along the wall, and am considering adding a weak trellis, though I'm feeling a little bit DIY-allergic at present.
mariannese
19 years ago
I would choose the vicious rose Mermaid attached to wire on vine eyes rather than trellis. Not an option for me in my Swedish winters, alas. We have to use rugosas, or in more benign parts of the country, the Wingthorn rose.
Kiddy
19 years ago
My son is a Police Inspector.
Rosa Rugosa for sure!!! You can't go wrong, this could deter Spiderman.

Wall shrub/climber to increase security - suggestions?

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