Nobody likes to be overly pessimistic about what the future may hold, but it is a simple fact of life that hazards are rife in all parts of society.

There seems to have been an increasing number of extreme weather events in recent years, and as the floods that have plagued many parts of the UK have shown, lives can be transformed in a matter of hours.

The upshot of these flash floods, of course, was that many homes were literally destroyed over night. The floods also ravaged many gardens in the process, given that they were in the direct line of fire to all the extreme weather conditions, causing many millions of pounds worth of damage in the process.

The increasing popularity of garden makeover shows is thought to be responsible for people spending in the region of £4 billion a year on their gardens, which includes tools, plants and garden furniture. However, this has left many people at risk to more than just the elements, with an estimated one million garden crimes taking place each year according to police reports.

The garden is a much easier target for any opportunistic thief, as they can see at a glance anything that is of value. Furthermore, many home insurance policies may not actually include the garden as part of its standard cover in the event of any loss, damage or theft. However, as the saying goes, prevention is a far better course of action than having to worry about the cure after; and there are some simple steps that a homeowner can take to ensure they aren't the victim of a garden thief.

First of all, it's important not to leave anything of value lying around in the garden. If there's a shed, then use it. Alternatively, lock any equipment away in the house. It's also worth considering enclosing a garden with fences or hedges and using gravel in the driveway, so that any would be thief will at least be heard if they aren't seen.

But of course, all the safety measures in the world can't provide a cast iron guarantee that a garden won't be singled out by a thief or vandal; or, indeed, that it won't be affected by an extreme weather event. And this is why it's important to ensure that any home insurance policy is comprehensive and includes cover for any garden-related mishaps.

At the very least, it will ensure a little peace of mind should the worst case scenario happen; and it will save a lot of money too.

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