Read this article first about security. Chose from the myriad of various sensors and plant a classy hedge. Smart hedge:) Just think about the cost. It will be 1000 times more secure. Seriously, the above-mentioned article first. The hedges maintenance would cost little in the long run. It might last hundreds of years and the only thing that you are supposed to do is to cut the branches once or twice a year. Brick or concrete walls will deteriorate heavily in 10 to 20 years. If you and your children will not renew/repair it over and over again the house will fall into a state of disrepair and will look abandoned.

It won’t look new at all. You’ll have to repair it over and over again. Meanwhile an old hedge brings a classy … “old money” aristocratic look to everything. Choosing the hedge will decrease the temperatures in the summer with at least 15C. Pairing it with micro clover instead of grass will lower the temperatures even more. Concrete and brick capture all of the heat and will radiate it back into your garden. Read about the battery and thermal mass. The hedge purifies air …blocks dust and noises. It regenerates every few months. Just look at this pictures on pinterest and decide for yourself.

It cost less in the long run and it looks classy. Combined with the Arduino sensors  will keep your family and belongings safe. Read about the security system. Down parts. Planting hedges in a heavily circulated area on a small terrain is not the best idea. We people are just stupid sometimes. Drunk people, children homeless, persons are a different breed. They might enjoy playing with the sensors because they don’t care at all and don’t realize what they are doing. They won’t be able to do harm …however the alarm might distract you quite often. The ideal would be a bigger terrain where you can plant a few meters away from the street. You might put a small symbolic fence 1-2 meters before the hedge.

It might be as “simple” as a rope. This would solve the problem. You might even double the hedge for extra security. That will stop the noise and/or curious eyes even more. The free space between these double layers of hedge would be ideal to place various sensors. It’s all up to your imagination and the sky is the limit. If you haven’t done it ..read about the security do it. I insist:) In case you have to pick something solid because of a small terrain then use gabion walls instead. They resist a “millennia”. That’s significantly more than concrete, wood or brick walls life span.