Child safe replacement for supporting rockery stones.

[OneLaundryBaskettoRuleThemAll]

I'm getting rid of all the rockery and border stones in my garden, in a bid to make it more child friendly ( one child has SEN and so the garden has to be ' extra safe ' ). But what on earth do I to replace the ones that are supporting and holding back the soil, are there truly child safe fences that will do the job ?

[Talkinpeace]

TBH I think that is sad.
You are taking away all chances for them to self assess risk and decide what is safe to climb on.
Nothing teaches as well as a cut knee.
You cannot make it "extra safe" you can make it boring though.

[LadyMud]

Hmm, nothing is 100% child-proof, is it?

How high is the bed, compared to the rest of the garden? Could you have a little slope instead? Presumably covered in some low-growing (non-toxic) plants, as grass would be difficult to mow.

Or a gently sloping bank of stone, thickly covered with soil and plants.

It's difficult to be more helpful, until we have more details.

[LadyMud]

That's a bit harsh, Talkinpeace. I'm sure the OP knows what her child needs.

[Talkinpeace]

but as your post makes clear, unless you remove the soil and most of the plants, no "garden" is "safe"
and at what stage do children start to learn to look out for themselves
(and a child I know very well is an 'eater' so she had to be taught what not to eat as she is now 11)

[OneLaundryBaskettoRuleThemAll]

Thanks for the parental advice takin ( did I stumble into aibu by accident ), but back to the garden, the stones are everywhere, garden hasn't been changed for decades ( been in our family for a long time ). I was thinking that maybe a form of raised beds could replace sharp pointy stone borders, but it was the sloping beds I'm struggling with.

They divide the garden into two levels. Natural stone slabs form the steps from one garden to another, which isn't ideal. I also have paved paths which I plan to remove and replace with bark chips.
I will be saving the stone for later use.

The kids , like me, love gardening, so turning the sloping bit over to them would be great.

[LadyMud]

Could you take out the steps, and create a zig-zag ramp instead? Maybe using the paving stones from the existing paths?

Our back garden has some little steps, which are a pain for visitors in wheelchairs. When I redesign the front garden, we're definitely having a discreet ramp to the front door. Who knows, I might be a wheelchair-user one day . . .

[DewDr0p]

Would wooden sleepers work OP?

[linspins]

I was thinking wooden sleepers too. Make sure you get new ones, or ones that haven't been treated - I used original ones once and they used to seep black sticky tar!
Beware of putting down wood chips, as this may attract cat poo, which certainly isn't child friendly. Are you taking up the paving because the surface is too hard? If the paths are straight, could you put some rubber tiles over the top?
Anther thought, could you leave the stones in place as retaining walls, but heap more earth on top to cover them, and plant creeping plants, eg thyme or oregano over the top?

[OneLaundryBaskettoRuleThemAll]

Thanks ever so much for the ideas. I really like the idea of sleepers.
I wish I could leave the stones and cover them but that wouldn't work. Thank for the warning about chips. The rubber mat idea is interesting ...
If only the weather would change to something more Summery so I could get out there and get busy.

[linspins]

www.marshalls.co.uk/homeowners/view-grassguard-permeable-paving for grass guard
www.amazon.co.uk/dp/5674523525/ref=asc_df_567452352513355265?smid=A1U8HF5L6FROLQ&linkCode=asn&creative=22218&creativeASIN=5674523525&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=4329522622112499559&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21 for rubber matting that grass grows through and you can then mow it - poss alternative to solid paving but still walkable on

[OneLaundryBaskettoRuleThemAll]

Thank you !