Gardeners' Investment Unprotected

The increasing popularity of garden makeovers and the concept of the ‘outdoor room’ means that Britons are now spending over £4 billion a year on plants, pots, furniture, garden tools and other garden items, yet many do little or nothing to protect their investment against the rising tide of garden crime, and often leave themselves vulnerable to theft and vandalism.

The late spring and early summer are the peak season for planning improvements and buying plants, furniture water features and decking. But a leading financial firm has warned that despite being many people's pride and joy, many are unnecessarily leaving their gardens unprotected.

"Often many of the items that people think are covered [by home insurance] as standard are not," said a representative of the company.

"People are spending more time and money in their gardens than ever before, so it is important that they check that their home insurance policy offers the right level of cover for their gardens and the buildings in them."

"We receive a variety of claims for incidents in gardens, often for eventualities that people had not even considered.

"A surprisingly frequent claim is for damage caused by cows which create havoc by knocking down fences and garden sheds and trampling all over plants and shrubs."

The Home Office records around 18,000 thefts a year, and warn that anything portable may be stolen. Home insurance firms recommend that homeowners check their policies to ensure they know what is covered and what isn't.

Top tips to lessen the risk of theft from your garden:

•     Always lock away all tools and equipment in a garden shed or garage.
•    Install security lighting which comes on automatically.
•    Enclose the garden as much as possible with fencing and lockable gates.
•    When buying and digging in new plants, always remove garden centre tags as these are popular targets for thieves.
•    Plant a living barrier to restrict access - thorny shrubs are effective deterrents.
•    Take photographs of larger, more expensive items such as statues, water features and garden furniture, in case of a claim.

If you would like to know more about gardening why not ask AnswerBank Home and Garden.