I am not into plants, just something else to maintain, and something for a bad guy to use for cover.
Or armadillo's that carry leprosy, or snakes, or...
I do like scrunchy , noisy small pea gravel.
I like a clean exterior that has nothing to offer concealment, and this scrunchy fine small pea gravel also keeps the rain coming off the eaves from leaving ruts in the yard.
I do not do gutters either, again it clutters the looks of a house and something else to maintain. I like simple.
Take note of where rain falls off the roof and go out another 3 inches into the yard.
Then get some mark this off with string and stakes.
Clean this up nice and neat.
Get the landscape trim and install this, then add this fine scrunchy chat, pea gravel.
For looks, one can do a pattern with the trim and do different color rocks...
I like simple, and when it rains, the yard is not rutted up.
If it really rains hard, just a matter of raking it in place.
A criminal will see a neat, clean exterior, nowhere to hide, and stepping on it scrunches.
Oh this will let you know someone is out poking around, and for sure a dawg will pick up on this.
This sends a signal to some models of criminals "this person is on the ball and I would be better off going to another house less in the open and affords me no cover".
Baby Monitors.
Again.
Set one outside on the back porch, for instance if the car is parked out back, up and out of sight, stick it in a goofy bird house, whatever.
You can hear everything going on outside from the safety of being inside.
Lights, Sound, Action.
Timers for the house for lights and radios, and TVs.
Even a old black and white TV that does work well will give the impression someone is up , in a part of the house watching TV.
One widow has a timer for a radio, lights, and "shop noise". Her late husband used to go out the garage and piddle in his shop and listen to ball games on the radio. The window in the garage has blinds and curtains, still folks see the light and hear " Runner on third, two strikes, two balls and ...:
Another widower has dummies. Actually two.
One is a mannequin, and the other a "scarecrow" using cloth filler.
The mannequin is on a stand and gets moved to various places in the house.
Like the kitchen and the timer comes on after he goes to bed.
His late wife was a nurse, and sometimes worked the 3p to 11p shift.
The youngest daughter before she moved out also worked funny hours. Medical Transcription, and worked both at a hospital and at home.
These then go to various bedrooms, and give the impression of watching TV or being on the computer. Just like his late wife and youngest daughter did.
He is sound asleep.
(He says these dummies reminds him of one of his daughters, except the dummy's are smarter which I have to agree with. Oh she has a Master's in Eng of some kind, she writes, edits, and all that. She cannot boil water and has difficulty knowing which end of a knife, fork, or spoon to use. She knows the correct word, grammar, and can diagram a sentence, going up and down steps throw her for a loop).
Sprinkle some of this pea gravel , on steps , back porch and on car port where car is, this stuff is scrunchy loud.
I also like a hidden light up high, say in the house vent (widower has one aimed out back. He had vent thingie put in for this.
He hears a noise, he can flip it on from various places in the house and light up the back yard big time!
This is on battery back up, as are his inside emergency lights in case the power goes out.
Do not oil hinges on gates, fix squeaky steps, creaking porches, or oil the hinges of screen/storm doors.
Nor the creak in the hallway floor, or oil the hinge on bathroom doors, or put a green felt dot on kitchen cabinet doors so they do not bang shut...
Now kids know how come mom and dad knew why they came in later than the agreed upon time...
