What can I plant to discourage 'people' from climbing into our garden?

I'm thinking something with thorns, no conifers thanks :suspect:, and some pretty flowers or berries at some point would be a bonus :)

the obvious pyracanthus -cotoneaster type, or berberris is quite effective and it has attractive foliage.
we have a nice variegated holly bush,but i've found it bit of slow grower.

Blackberries! Seem to grow anywhere with the minimum of maintenance and quickly. The thorns are pretty lethal and you'll get some fruit. Gooseberries or raspberries are alternatives.

Try these

http://www.bullybugle.com/images/Triffid.gif

:D

Berberis darwinii is hardy, almost impossible to kill and comes with big vicious thorns (but isn't very toxic if Brude goes digging round the roots). I've heard crime prevention police officers refer to it as 'burglaris disembowelis'.

I'd love to plant fruit of some description, but that would probably only encourage eeejits into the garden to help themselves :suspect: so it looks like the berberis is worth looking into :)

I might plant a real cherry tree though - as most people can never be sure if they are real or poisonous :D

Edit: Is this the stuff Meds? http://www.korewildfruitnursery.co.uk/Berberis%20darwinii.JPG

There are some very good shrub roses that can be used for hedging. not as good looking as hybrid teas, but very effective.

Is any of this stuff evergreen, does anybody know?

Berberis and pyracantha are both evergreen I believe.

I'd definately go for pyracantha - wonderful white flowers in spring - almost as if it's been snowed on and after orange / red / yellow berries (depending on which you get). Certainly thorny and tough and will grow into any shape you want to train it to.

Hawthorne planted and kept as a hedge, without doubt. Don't know how long it takes to get to a size to be suitable as a deterant but it's nasty stuff - a single prick with a hawthorne needle can feel as bad as a bee sting, and the pain can last longer.
Still indigenous though and looks nice in the garden:)

goes to say, take care when trimming it :D

Hawthorn is quite vigorous isn't it?

and berberris can have some really attractive red leaves?

ohhh, decisions, decisions :(

The traditional security planting in new schemes is what a couple of others have mentioned - Berberis Vulgaris (low level) and Pryocantha (high level). Both are quite vigorous, good looking and hardy and don't drop leaves or spines (much) and bring lots of bumble bees (summer) and birds (autumn) into the garden.

BUT keep them cropped well back and expect to cover yourself on scars twice a year when you do. Clippings have to go in the wheelie bin if you don't have closed off composting as Brude will make a mess of himself if he starts picking them up.

i bought some hawthorn & blacktgorn "twiglets" 2 teas ago form a nursey in lincoln - they actually grew these for big planting arrangements,councils etc.
i paid 20p per "twig" .
i heeled them in for a day or 2,then planted them,around now to november appears to be their recommnedations for planting.
you wont have an instant hedge but it is cheap.

Its been said before but pyracantha is a great choice and they are £5.99 in Morrisons for a plant thats about 3' high complete with lovely coloured berries for instant impact. Ive bought 4 for the same purpose.

Something that you may not have considered are roses. Packed with thorns!