what is the best garden for DS 3 and 5 (nearly 6)

[Boblina]

Hi everyone we have recently moved into a house and the garden is on different levels and is just unpractical for children so hopefully this weekend we will start work on it and planning. Well depending on this beautiful weather we are having. Anyway the garden is not massive around 30 feet and we are going to make it one level. My question really is what is the best garden for children, paving, grass or fake grass. We are going to have an area for growing veg and plants but then..... I am not sure but we may also get a shed to put in the bikes, scooters and well everything. We may get them a trampoline or wendy house but jury is still out on that. We do live oposite from a park not sure if that makes a difference. So come on everyone give me your thoughts... patio, grass, false grass??? What are the pros and cons, what would children enjoy most?? We do of course want something for us, bbqs, but .. the children is the main reason. Help please. Thanks x

My boys love a bbq that and somwhere to sit and eat outside are essential here.

An area where they can dig. Honestly, they are obsessed with digging holes in the earth so I have allocated a part of the garden just for them to move earth around.

Somewhere paved to ride scooters about.

Never fake grass. Ugh.

Mix of grass and patio, in my opinion, with space for easy-growing flowers and veg and excavations.

Happy days.

At that stage we had the following: Real grass and patio. Patio big enough and flat enough for 3 year to go round on tricycle at least in a circle. Picnic bench or chairs and table. Washing line. Sandpit. little area of ground or a trough each for them to sow seeds/make mudpies/plant things/put dinosaurs in. Rabbit hutch for rabbit or similar.

Flower beds of course with sweet honeysuckle and clematis and climbing roses and lavender. Peonies. Try perennials that grow year after year so your garden is easy to maintain. And a fruit tree such as a little apple tree or a little plum tree.

Remember not to plant any poisonous plants (no laburnum and nothing with inedible berries. No Aconite) . Physalis is fun. You could stick in some raspberry canes! You could have a water butt. Lexi's little one loves her garden. I'm sure you and yours will love your garden too.

Thanks everyone for all your ideas. Although the weather has not been that nice today, we have started work on the garden. Still a long way away from it being finished and I am still unsure but hey we have started. rain, snow, stay away please.