Men love their sheds

We all know the garden shed is associated with men, pottering away inside and distracting themselves from the outside world. A recent survey carried out by Cuprinol has found some interesting statistics on men and their sheds. A man's shed has always been associated with an ‘escape’ or ‘haven’,  a special place that men can have all to themselves.

This survey has revealed that:

·     

65% of Britons own a garden shed and out of those surveyed it was found that 21% of men flee to their shed to avoid family arguments.

12% of men also admitted to preferring time spent in the shed compared to time with their families. 

     49% of those surveyed said they would be lost without their shed

     6% said that they would like to be buried inside their garden shed

This survey shows just how much we Brits love our garden sheds. If you are looking for a new ‘haven’ or escape, take a look at the Asgard range of metal garden sheds.  These sheds are are all made from strong weatherproof steel for the toughest storage. With a wide range to suit all needs, you are bound to find the perfect shed retreat for you.

Information taken from The Telegraph

Garden plant theft, keep your garden safe!

New statistics have been released from More Than Home Insurance showing that overall more UK residents are becoming victims of plant theft from their gardens.

The research has shown that the majority of these thefts occur in the front garden, with plant pots and hanging baskets being swiped from outside front doors.

Results found that the top 10 most stolen garden plants were:

1.  Hanging baskets
2.  Bay trees
3.  Rose Standards
4. Olive trees
5. Rare lilies
6. Bonsais
7. Miniature palm trees
8. Magnolia trees
9. Daphne Shrubs
10. Conifers

You may think that there is no way of protecting the plants in your garden, but there are a few things that can be done to help prevent the theft of your plants.

What you can do:

Mark it - Mark your plant pots, containers, vases etc with your postcode, using an indelible marker pen.

Secure it - Hanging baskets are an easy target for thieves, so make sure these are secure. Make them difficult to undo by using wire or a small chain and lock.

Go large - the bigger and heavier your plants are, the harder it will be for thieves to steal them. Choose heavy bulky pots that are difficult to move.

Get thorny - add some thorny plants to your garden around access points and fences, to deter thieves.

Stop garden thieves!! The worst time of year for theft.

As we all know, acquiring all of our fancy gardening tools and equipment can be very expensive. So just imagine how you would feel, if someone came along and decided to help themselves. Not very happy I can imagine. Shed and garden theft isn’t a new phenomenon, however people think ‘it won’t happen to me’, unfortunately this is a crime which is on the rise all over the country.

In June, Blenau Gwent an area in wales had 23 garages and sheds burgled in just one month and of those 7 were said to be insecure or without sufficient security.  The crime and disorder reduction officer for the area, PC Paul Whittaker stated “It shows no sign of stopping despite attempts to tackle the problem. Power tools, gardening equipment and bikes appear to be the main target for thieves”.  Read more on this story>

In the same month, across Bath 22 garages and sheds were broken into and raided.  It’s not only homes that are the targets of these types of thefts, schools have become vulnerable too. Schools in Stamford and Worcester have also been affected by a number of shed burglaries, with playground toys and tools being taken.

As these items are kept outside, they are more susceptible to theft. Local police are reinforcing to communities the importance of keeping tools locked away securely and help them to keep these thieves at bay. In Somerset police are embarking on the  sheducation of the general public, offering advice on shed theft as well as cycle and car theft. A portable display will visit supermarkets and events during the summer, a time when shed thefts normally rise.

What can you do to prevent shed crime?

• Check that thieves cannot gain entry simply by removing boards from the sheds sides or rear. Alternative to a wooden shed, a metal shed is a great investment and has a much higher level of security than its wooden counterpart. As secure metal shed is a great deterrent to thieves. A wide range of high security and insurance approved metal security sheds and metal garages are available on the market.
• A good lock is the key to keeping pesky burglars out. Make sure your shed is always locked when not in use.
• Sheds with padlocks, will always be more vulnerable as they are easy to remove. A shed with an internal locking system will always be more secure than a padlock.
• Fit an alarm. Shed alarms are relatively inexpensive, easy to install and can be battery operated or mains powered.
• Opt for a shed without any windows. If you can see what’s inside, so can a thief.

For the best in garden security visit Asgard, with a wide range of tough, all metal security sheds in a variety of sizes available, burglars won’t stand a chance.

Information from This is bath, News Wales, Worcester news and Stamford Mercury