Take steps to protect gardens

Horticulturalists should carry out a number of measures to keep their gardens safe from opportunistic burglars, according to RIAS.

The home insurance provider suggests that all gardening tools should be locked away at the end of the day in a suitable building such as a shed or garage.

Perimeters of properties should be secured with fences and lockable gates as this will make it harder for potential burglars to make off with larger items such as garden furniture.

Gardening enthusiasts are also advices to take photographs of larger, more expensive items – which could include statues, water features and conservatories – in case a claim needs to be made due to damage or theft.

Those keen to incorporate some foliage into their barriers could do so by planting thorny shrubs such as blue pine and holly, RIAS suggests.

Hedges and shrubs were recently identified in an article in the Observer as ways of protecting plants from the wind.