Garden, blank canvas!

[Laurasanford111]

Hello everyone

This section of our garden has not yet been done. We are looking to create a real cottage garden feel, lots of beds with planting, a bench, maybe swing. Long term we think a summer house right at the end. The space is about 7 MTRS x 5 MTRS. The patch by the greenhouse, I want to have a small wildlife pond there made from an old tub dug in the ground with lots of planting around it if that's a good idea? We have small children so can't have a huge pond etc, because the rest of the garden is quite open, I want this to have less structure more of a winding path around a couple of trees? That current woodchip path won't be there, Will be grass with stepping stones

Any ideas welcome to make this a really lovely space!

I have raised beds in the main bit of garden, on the other side of the garden there is one bed which will be for veg

Thank you

Bumping😀

Bumping

So it is a 7x5 metre space, with a greenhouse half way down on the right?

Where is the sun?

I wouldn't have a pond, even a small one, with small DCs, or everytime they have disappeared from sight you would be rushing down to check - just in case! Or I would.
I also wouldn't get a swing as until they can 'swing' themselves you will be pestered to push! And then when they can swing they'll swing and risk hitting their siblings - or maybe I was just a miserable old bat of a mother !!

A nice metre square sandpit dropped into the ground would be good so they can kneel beside it and play. Or give it a raised wood edge they can sit on.

I would try to break up the space with tree/s perhaps where the new bit of fence is, ? apple tree, an area of lawn in the middle by the sandpit. Shrubs to screen the larchlap fence at the far end, evergreen and flowering, and some small trees to add height. Then areas of herbaceous border either side of the lawn.
Do you need seating and bbq that might depend on sun position.

I wouldn't have a pond, even a small one, with small DCs, or everytime they have disappeared from sight you would be rushing down to check You can put a grid over a pond. They’re good for wildlife and good for getting DC interested in nature, which in the long term is even better for the planet.

Good point about swing. And when they’re old enough to swing themselves,they’ll want to go higher than a garden swing will accommodate.

Sandpit will need a cover so it won’t become a cat toilet.

I found our ponds were our dc's favourite feature in the garden. They soon learn not to be stupid around them, and in the meantime you can put a grid on them. Yes, a child can drown in an inch of water, but a child can also kill themselves by falling down the stairs and in any number of stupid ways, they do have to learn to manage risks a little bit! You can make it a bit safer by making it raised off the ground, just make sure you put a means for the wildlife to get out if they fall in.

Do think about how this area fits with how the rest of your garden is used. Are balls constantly going to be landing on it? If so, I would increase the height of the fence (maybe using trellis). It would be gutting to have all your carefully grown annuals and food crops smashed up.

Are you looking for a design idea?
Placing the features off centre would help detract from the rectangular feel of the space…
perhaps something like a figure of 8 on a slant like this?

@Lonicerax thank you so much for your reply and help hope you're well. I forgot to mention in the post it's a very long garden this bit here is the end of the garden, that picket fence is there to zone it off as garden is in 3 parts. So essentially they wouldn't get access to it unless we are with them, one reason for that is because of the greenhouse me being paranoid, so I think for me I wanted it to be kind of a more adult section of the garden as the first bit has play space, 2nd bit has a little play equipment with a couple of raised beds. I don't even know if we will get round to doing it next year with two little ones but I want to gather as many ideas and information as possible first!

@MereDintofPandiculation thank you, I've read so many things about sand pits, I did like the idea of a mud kitchen so I can give them sand to play and mess with and tidy it after or something so it's not just sat out. Reharding the pond I have a big old plat pot, I was going to dig out a big hole to pop it in so it's ground level, I saw it on a youtube vid and thought I'd take on the challenge, a few pond plants etc and see what happens maybe a solar fountain on it, my 2 yr old is obsessed with wildlife and the outdoors so I think it would be a good idea

@brambleberries this is so great thank you! Yes I am looking for design ideas, I've been on Pinterest loads but getting overwhelmed with ideas. The greenhouse on the right has to stay put and I think the summerhouse we will end up with will be like a log cabin style on which will take up space horizontally right at the back. I love the idea of the figure of 8 that's what my aim is, to have some kind of meandering path. Thanks again!