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Anyone installed razor wire at the end of their garden. My house is unoccupied a lot of the time. From the front it's pretty secure (two front doors) and the UPVC door is good on the rear; but i back onto a public park with a low ish wall and am concerned about burglars targeting the shed etc.
Has anyone done this and any disadvantages?
Is it even still legal?
Try planting pyrocanthus instead, It's like natural barbwire
Please don't, it'll stop a burglar for all of ten seconds but any animals that go near it will be cut to ribbons..
Isn't there a minimum height requirment? [b]2.4 metres[/b] (EDIT: it may only be required for public highways according to the site link.. need to look at that more )
Warning signs are required, so that they can't sue you for entering your property without your permission
[url= http://www.razorwireuk.com/faq/ ]Source[/url]
I happily let bramble grow at the bottom of my (rented) house, obviously not the quick solution your after..
razor wire has to be above a certain height IIRC if the public have access to one side of it
Edit - beaten to it
the other thing is it is like a big sign saying " something worth nicking in here"
Defensive planting is a better bet
Blackthorn hedge. Bit late to plant now unless you get potted stuff, but very cheap otherwise. Just got to wait a little to get the height you want.
Cultivate some Nettles and brambles.. Scatter some rubbish, an old sofa and a rusty shopping trolley round the place. Make it look a bit scruffy..
Have you considered strategically-located claymores?
With the obligatory warning sign of course, wouldn't want anyone tripping them unintentionally due to the cost of them.
How about a wall, a really nice wall, a great wall, an amazing wall (some builders might be free)
With the added advantage that the Mexicans may pay for it.
What about, a shrubbery?
"With the added advantage that the Mexicans may pay for it."
That's tickled me.
I had a new fence last year, wish I thought of asking Mexico to stump up.
Try planting pyrocanthus instead, It's like natural barbedwire
This, although it's not a quick fix, like blackthorn as someone says above, but blackthorn really isn't something you want in your garden, 'cos it'll do its utmost to take over the entire garden, it sends out suckers from the roots that just keep spreading outwards, unless you sink a deep trench with a barrier set into it, like paving slabs set on end.
Pyrocanthus doesn't, but the thorns are bloody evil, welding gloves are recommended for picking up trimmings, carefully!
Who pays for the wall, you or the neighbour?
aphex_2k - Member
What about, a shrubbery?
Ni!
Just install a flagpole
Slaver Sun flowers, Nu-Earth Bio-wire and Triffids. The "green solutions".
fitted ita few years ago on a takeaway rear yard,within a week we had the owner saying it had to be removed on instructions from police, who may be injured trying to chase burglars, removed it and takeaway got robbed a few weeks later, from rear yard.
there's a variety of blackberry that I've seen called 'nature's razorwire'. That would be a) legal, b) edible, and c) animal friendly, so triple win.
Blackthorn! Because you'll forget about the invasiveness when you're watching burglars wince whilst you're supping delicious fruity gin.
Both blackberry and blackthorn will spread like the common cold given even half a chance, at least Pyrocanthus stays where you plant it, it has lots of coloured berries, although you can't eat or drink them, but I'd hate to try to climb over it, the thorns will go through welding gloves!
No one going to suggest a moat? So much classier... 🙂
Great shout on the blackthorn chaps. I will get some and plant it in the park land which is already shrubby behind the wall. Much better idea and should be grown within the year. Thanks for the advice.
Blackthorn on the other side of the wall , Pyrocanthus on your side - plus a moat with lazer wielding sharks .
Cover the top of the wall with boiled sprouts. Everyone hates them.
CheesybeanZ - Member
Blackthorn on the other side of the wall , Pyrocanthus on your side - plus a moat with lazer wielding sharks .
Sharks are useless in a moat, unless you have a constant supply of nefarious scrotes - they need to eat too often.
You need the perfect ambush predator, the Australian Sal****er crocodile. It will be happy on only 3 or 4 scrotes a year, plus if the kids get too bothersome, they're handy for some post natal family planning...
Sharks are useless in a moat, unless you have a constant supply of nefarious scrotes - they need to eat too often.
Ah yes your right , sharks have no place in a low maintenance moat .
+1 for the pyrocantha (pyrocanthus) otherwise known as firethorn. Looks lovely, amazingly tough and it hurts, a lot. Find some locally and have a go at punching it or falling into it. You'll get the idea. Grows quick as well. 3cm long thorns that seem as tough as barbed wire. Leaves with serrated edges.
Gorse?
Plant any of the aforementioned shrubs on the outside of your wall.
Build up your wall as high as you can.
Add some wooden trellises along the top of the wall on the outside and plant some more spiky plants in window boxes all along the top that will grow down the outside.
Screw some of those cheesy pictorial "I live here" dog warning signs high up on the outside.
Thought I'd resurrect this thread:
Try planting pyrocanthus instead, It's like natural barbwire
Pyrocanthus doesn't just act as a barbed-wire fence, and have berries for the birds in winter, for some reason this year the hedges either side of my front garden are a solid mass of white flowers, which the bees are all over, both honey bees and bumblebees, which I must say I'm thrilled to see!
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Beats the chuff out of razor wire from an aesthetic point of view, if nothing else. 😀
C-Z - and the berries to come later.