'**** Sapiens Minor' pests, littering my garden.

[Benchwayze]

I have a small patch of land outside my garden wall, which I have retained by a low wall. This patch abuts the pavement. As a result the local yobs sit on this wall, and use the patch as a waste disposal area for food they haven't eaten and beer cans etc. I never had this problem until the wall was built. Thus, if I remove the seating I unwittingly provided, these louts might look elsewhere for a spot to take refreshment.

Short of having the wall recapped, with slanted bricks, I need an easily controlled, thorny plant, that will keep them away from the wall. I know fire-thorn is the best deterrent, but it is rampant, and might well grow over the pavement, for which I could be taken to task. So, any other suggestions folks?
TIA.

 

[adidat]

what about something like this,

they will have a sore @rse if they try sitting on that :lol:

adidat

 

[Jonzjob]

Pyrocanther isn't too much of approblem unless you have 75 meters of the stuff at 6 foot high along one edge of the garden!! When you cut it just make sure that some of the cuttings drop onto the top of the wall :twisted: To say it's a plant with attitude is a huge understatement.

It's called firethorn because when it goes in to a bit of you the tip almost always breake off and goes septic! Once pricked, twice shy!

When it flowers it had the most beautiful display and it looks as if it's been snowed on and when the berries appear the colour is great, plus the blackbirds love them..

 

[RogerS]

Coating of anti-vandal paint on the top surface of the bricks. Bit unsightly but they won;t sit there again. Probably don't even need to paint the whole surface. Just a nice thick line an inch wide.

 

[nev]

I was going to suggest one of these but then saw the price :shock:
but for that kind of money you could buy a dustbin, a sign and decent air rifle and an alibi :twisted:

 

[Slinger]

+1 for pyrocanthus
Slinger

 

[woodbloke]

Even cheaper would be broken glass...I remember when I was a callow youf that no-one went over a wall topped with the stuff. Illegal now though, more's the pity - Rob

 

[RogerS]

Poor water over the top each night?

 

[DrPhill]

The non-drying paint idea has merit, though, but non-verminous humans may suffer and you may get bad press. I seem to recall that broken glass atop walls is illegal (shame that).

Berberis (the purple one) has some viscious thorns. No more difficult to manage than pyrocanttha. Maybe what you should look for is a low-growing spiny shrub (eg) - just enough growth to cover the top of the wall. A dwarf or scrambliing rosa rugosa variety might be nice to look at all year round (and unfortunately very spiney).

Let us know which way you go......

 

[Harbo]

Pyracantha, holly, spiky rose.

There is a noise emitting device that only youngster can hear which makes them feel sick - don't know if it is still legal though?

Rod

 

[RogerS]

......
There is a noise emitting device that only youngster can hear which makes them feel sick ........

Rod

Mantovani? Barry Manilow ?

 

[Jensmith]

Pyracantha, holly, spiky rose.

There is a noise emitting device that only youngster can hear which makes them feel sick - don't know if it is still legal though?

Rod

+1 for Rod getting the Pyracantha spelling right I think the OP is right though. It's too wayward for a front garden. It tends to grow quite vigorously and send out long branches. Really they're more of a climber which is best grown against a high wall or fence.

Berberis is good and another good one for birds with the berries though it is a bit vicious. You can at least prune it with hedge clippers though if so desired.

You could use blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) hedging too if you want to be able to cut it like a hedge? Hawthorn would also do though it's less spiky or the best would be a mix of hawthorn and blackthorn as this is a standard mix and they definitely wouldn't sit on it. Plus they're fairly quick growing and also fairly robust.

You might need to keep an eye on whatever you plant though while they get established.

 

[woodbloke]

Mantovani? Barry Manilow ?

...try McCartney at the 'O' opening ceremony :-& - Rob

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Manilow wouldn't work - all the area's little old ladies would congregate there.

 

[Elapid]

I was going to suggest one of these but then saw the price :shock:
but for that kind of money you could buy a dustbin, a sign and decent air rifle and an alibi :twisted:

Those cause me severe pain and I'm way older than the age range that they are supposed to affect.

 

[James C]

Broken glass on walls was probably banned because of the number of animals that bled out with lacerations on their stomachs.

Mind you in our current, ridiculous legal society I think that if someone on their way to break into your house and nick your stuff injured themselves on your deterrent, you would probably end up being liable for their injuries.

 

[Harbo]

I was meaning the Mosquito - sorry Nev I should have clicked your link.

Rod

 

[Benchwayze]

Thanks for the replies folks.

It looks like the only answer is planting.
Low railings are good too, but the Council would refuse as the garden is open plan, and the wall I have is at maximum allowed height. (20" high), and next to a public footway. Some drunk might fall on those spikes. Usual Health and Safety rules.

For similar reasons I can't use anti-vandal paint, and in any case you have to put warning notices on the wall. That would mean more graffiti, I am sure.
The high frequency sound emitters are against the law now as it might damage the little ' darlings' ' ears!

So it looks like this is the ideal plant.

http://www.findmeplants.co.uk/plant-ber ... -1619.aspx

Maybe alternated with the purple variety too!

The bed is about 30 feet long x 6 feet wide. so if the plant were placed in the middle, it might eventually reach the wall without too much overgrowth that would need frequent trimming.

Thanks again folks. (The audible devices; Manilow etc., well that might work, but Id' be able to hear those too! )

Cheers folks (hammer) (hammer) (hammer)