According to reports in today’s media, plant theft is on the rise, particularly for rare models. No, we are not talking about mechanical plant but actual plant theft from none other than the world renowned Kew Gardens.

As the rarest of flowers are always in danger of extinction naturally, what can be done to stop the theft of such plants? You can’t padlock them, you can’t alarm them, you can’t feasibly tag them either but it is amazing what is being stolen and the lengths people go to achieve their pilfering.

The Daily Mail reported that one such incident involved a water lily that was ‘spirited away’ in handbags and was the target of, they say, a ‘pre-planned operation by an experienced professional.

Even cheap liability insurance polices have the option to cover theft of mechanical plant but some high value property insurance policies extend cover to include theft of garden plants and damage to lawns etc as landscaped gardens can cost a significant amount to replace or repair. Look for ‘garden extension’ cover – these are not always included on cheap landlords insurance policies. These extensions are commonly seen in compare business insurance polices, notably leisure and golf complexes where the cost of malicious damage to greens is huge. Always check your policy to ensure that it meets with your particular needs.