It's quite okay to set rabbit traps but don't put them where the thief might step onto it. S/he can sue you for damages.

Some years ago I pondered long and hard over fancy chrysantheums before deciding which four I would order from a mail order nursery. Carefully planted and nurtured in the front garden, they developed into beautiful plants just beginning to flower. And then one morning I got up to find four holes where my plants had been.

Funnily enough, the following flowering season my next door neighbour's front garden was sporting the very same selection that I had made!

This very nasty woman provided the catalyst for our decision to sell up and move on. I still have plants pinched but the neighbours are normal.

Hi Mippi and Wombat, a friend of mine has had the same moss covered rock stolen from their front yard 3 times now, they replace it and it goes again. They have searched the local area but no one seems to see them go, they weigh 60 kgs each, so they must be very fit,to carry them of in the middle of the night. Peter r

our electric fence keeps theives out - trouble is my theives are sheep and cows. 'spose you'd get arrested for hurting the poor little dearies if you gave them a taste. Can you hook up a sprinkler system to a sensor, could help you win home videos competition if anything. Some people really are the pits, I bet they wouldn't steal cactus!!
i'm really, really cheesed off on your behalf.

Thank you Moreton and Mrs B. for your commiserations. You're right they don't steal cactus. I have a large pot of Crown of Thorns aka Euphorbia Milli or Madagascar Plant close to my gate and it has stayed there. I'm about to replace the plants but with no great hope that they will remain there. Perhaps I should try the well known Rottisweiler Savager in my garden as a deterrent.
MPPI

MPPI - just had a thought. Why don't you lay down some cyclone (not netting) cover it with dirt and plant plants through that. That way they'll not be able to dig them up easily. Though I guess they rip them out before the roots have had a chance to settle in and take hold. The wire would rust down before any chance of them cutting into trunks (if the plants get to stay there) The evil part of you could place barb wire around the trunks of the plants or upturned nails ooohhhhhh!! I'm on a vengeful roll here.

You evil person Mrs B. What a good idea especially the barbed wire! However hope springs eternal and I am replacing the plants this weekend with even better ones. I'll keep you posted.
MPPI

My previous house, located near a 24 hour garage, had a brick fence - perfect for sitting on whilst consuming hamburgers. And the garden provided the ideal place to throw the wrappings, drink containers and the uneaten food.

I used to fantisise about fixing a couple of strands of barbed wire or cementing shards of broken glass along the top of the fence. Aahh ... the evil thoughts one can come up with!

Do remember though that even if a person has no legal right to be on your property, if s/he sustains an injury because of your actions (setting the rabbit traps, or leaving the coil of barbed wire on the path) then s/he has the right to sue you for damages.

Make sure you (a) have adequate public liability insurance and (b) you secure a gaol sentence for your plant thief - it's harder to run a successful legal case from inside.

Well Wombat et al
I might as well go for a sheep as a lamb. The plants go in tomorrow and then I lie in wait behind the rhododendrons with the double barrelled shotgun - ready for all eventualities. At very worst they might put me in charge of the prison gardens.
MPPI

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL!!!
Isn't there something about revenge will be thine?
At worst Wombat and I could visit you there. Me to say sorry for egging you on and Wombat to say I told you so! :)
Hope the new plants get to stay longer this time.
BTW............are you planting anything worth me making a quick visit for?
Don't forget to leave the hose tangled all around them. I always trip over that.

Perhaps huge piles of manure spread everywhere may deter. Are the plants being taken from your front garden? If so, I would go for nice but prickly at the front (some grevilleas are wonderfully prickly) and plant extra special plants out of direct sight. Let us know how you get on.

Hi

"fh^*ea432hfdla@*%!!!" I can't stand stealing!!!

I've had a problem with theivery. However it hasn't been plants but the products I intend to use on them. Someone stole pesticide for my roses which I had left out on our porch one day whilst browsing at the nursery and two pairs of old gardening boots have dissapeared more than a few times. I'm a size five ladies... could it be gnomes perhaps???

I think the best way to get people to stop stealing is put up lighting. Not the garden variety which is more beneficial to the theif! But a sensor spot light or a bright downlight that highlights your plants and deters people at the same time.

Nothing like a senser attached to a glaring spotlight I say. Have a few strung up so that if someone steps into your flower beds at night a spot light hits them from several different angles.

If I could figure out how to do it, I'd have a bloody siren attached to those sensers as well.

If your bedroom window looks out onto your front garden then you'll need thick blinds or shutters.

I doubt if anyone would want to be stealing from you if it's well lit up.

Hope this helps!

Desi

Right
Today I planted 2 Strobilanthus anisofolia, 1 Argyranthemum, 1 Rhodanthe anthemoides, 1 Veronica, 2 Parthenocissus sikkimensis. The Daphnes go in tomorrow and I've ordered beautiful red Calla lily bulbs. The sensor lights are in. The machine guns are mounted on the battlements, the five headed dog is off the leash and I'll be behind the Rhododendrons with the 202. Watch this space for further developments.
MPPI
PS I really know that it should be 'thieves' not 'theives' but an angry woman is not concerned with perfect spelling.

Are your plants still there? did the sensor light work. I like the idea of the sprinkler system wired up so it goes on as soon as the sensor, unless of course you have possums as well./ On the other hand this would deter the possums as well. Good luck Judie

Thank you for your interest Judie. The plants are still there - even the Daphnes ( 1 Odora, 1 lemon scented.) I have also planted Leucadendrons and paper daisies also some more green goddesses. You see I am getting very confident now.I keep walking up and down to test the sensor light and I can report that it is working. If I wired up a shower to it I would get wet - forget the possums. Anyway the possums are too busy in my back garden chewing bits off the lemons and eating the roses.
MPPI

Some SOB group of drunken kids stole my solar powered garden light!

I'm out for blood.

Desi
I haven't dared put my solar lights out. They'd last about as long as the sculptures. At least the theft of my sculptures and plants showed that someone had exemplary good taste!!
MPPI

Dear MPPI
I have been a bit reluctant to contact, I would have came in person ......again! but the 5 headed dog was barking so much I didn't want to wake you. I thought it prudent to leave and on the way home I got a good solar light instead and some boots - bit small though, had to chuck back some tools as well.
Thank heavens I live miles from town........musn't get to complaicent though, might just slip out and see if your theives are into cattle rustling as well.
cheers Mrs B

My nephew died 4 years ago and my sister and her husband spend some time each week making sure that his grave is always surrounded by blooms, even in winter. In some way, that keeps them feeling close to him.

Each anniversary of his death my sister always places into the ground a beautiful white orchid plant in a pot that was his favourite. Some absolutely unspeakable, selfish git stole it this year. She went out and bought another just the same, at some considerable expense, and, guess what, it was stolen again.

I really sympathise with MPPI. I cannot imagine to what depths people have plummeted who have to steal flowers and plants from others. The monetary value is negligible compared to other things that they could steal but apparently other things are much harder to get. These people aren't even clever thieves.

Gardeners are attempting to create beauty for all to see. These despicable lame-brains are not taking from just one person, they're taking from all of us.
Barb

To Mrs B.
Don't worry the 5 headed dog is a bit of a toothless tiger, so to speak. Thanks for throwing back the tools. You can keep the boots - they were too big and I kept falling over. I am very confidant now and today I put in a huge Rhododendron. A truck would be needed to take it away.(That's tempting fate!!)
Cheers MPPI
To Granville 44
That's about as low as they can go.
MPPI

MMPI, you might be interested in the query on "Stinging Tree" in Trees & Shrubs Forum. I'm certainly going to read up on it!!

I'm feeling somewhat safe from snitchers at the moment. We are still drought declared, facing even further restrictions (a small daily allowance - pay heaps for what is used over that amount) and the ground is DRY and rock hard. They'd need a back hoe!!

You know I can kind of understand theives taking stuff from inside houses, but I thought gardeners were a better breed of person. Obviously there are scumbag gardeners out there. We live just out of town, so no-one steals any of my plants. With the public liability thing - remember, if you kill them they can't sue you... >:-)

I am going to set up a 'sculpture' right down the front of my garden soon. I'd like to see theives try to pinch it - I'm planning a smaller version of stonehenge... hahahahaha

Robyn

Razor blades embeded into the stems of plants works a treat.!

Oh Wooroonooran
I think us gardeners are an evil lot. I'd never embedd razor blades in the stems but I am looking into electrifying the sprinkler system. The thieves missed the blubells which have naturalised are are blooming in a delicious, wide blue arc. Enough to warm a gardener's heart.
MPPI

Plant gyimpie gyimpie plants in underbrush

when they steel plants they will accendntly touch gyimpie gyimpie plants

they will not steel from garden agein