Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Gardening

Find tips and tricks to make your garden or allotment flourish on our Gardening forum.

Original poster

I need some interesting ideas about gardens

26 replies

Katymac · 05/04/2010 19:47

I may be able to access some funding for outdoor learning

But I have to buy stuff, not things I can make stuff with or people to do stuff just things I can buy from high street shops and no plants - which makes things quite difficult.

I have also posted on the childminding bit; but some of my ideas are creating a willow 'wigwam' & tunnel, some sort of sand & water play and then I sort of run out. I have plenty of ideas with plants - sensory space, veggie space, stepping stones, dens etc.

But please can I have some fab MN ideas about how I can develop my garden to make it a fun and exciting place for children to be in

OP posts:
LadyBiscuit · 05/04/2010 19:51

Sorry am slightly confused as to what you want - you want ideas of stuff you can buy only, not particular plants or stuff you can make yourself?

What ages are the children?

TrowelAndError · 05/04/2010 19:53

I'm too. Are you a childminder? Are we talking about toys for the garden?

Original poster
Katymac · 05/04/2010 19:54

The children are from birth to about 12 (sometimes a bit older) but primarily for children under 5.

I can't buy wood & nails, or pay for a builder, or a water feature (unless it's self-contained)or buy plants.

I can buy toys (but I think that's a little short-sighted), mats, equipment, tyres (maybe?)

OP posts:
Original poster
Katymac · 05/04/2010 19:56

Yes, I childmind but on a larger scale - I can have 12 under 5's

We already have lots of climbing frames & slides & wendy houses & wheely toys

I really like eco things or natural ideas

OP posts:
LadyBiscuit · 05/04/2010 20:01

A shed (or a couple of them in different sizes) and some Little Tikes stuff would probably be the best use of cash. Little Tikes stuff lasts forever - we are using the stuff I got for my sister's kids about 7 years ago!

LadyBiscuit · 05/04/2010 20:05

Oh sorry, cross posted. Then you could get some different kinds of surfaces maybe? A path made of stones, then shingle, then wood, then a different kind of stone? There were some really cool swings I saw once somewhere that were made out of recycled tyres. And how about little sets of tables and chairs made out of logs so more 'rustic' in style. I don't know how much space you have but if you can put up planting screens between different areas and have the paths running from one area to the next then that would be quite fun and then you could have hidden corners with surprises in them

Uriel · 05/04/2010 20:05

Wind spinners/dancers.
Rain chain.
Hedgehog house.
Bird box with camera?

TrowelAndError · 05/04/2010 20:09

It might not make a big dent in your budget, but do you have a Butterfly house?

Original poster
Katymac · 05/04/2010 20:12

Butterfly house is definitely on my list

What is a rain chain?

The garden is about 50 ft wide and nearly 70 ft long - we have an idea for a willow tunnel & structure; we have some logs which we will smooth and use as benches.

OP posts:
Original poster
Katymac · 05/04/2010 20:13

Do cats hurt hedgehogs? If not a hedgehog house is great but we don't do bird things as the cats eat them

I'd like a really nice sand/water table but they all seem very plastic/cheap

OP posts:
Uriel · 05/04/2010 20:16

Rain chain
Supposed to make a nice noise.

Wooden toadstools as seats?

Uriel · 05/04/2010 20:17

My cats are rightly cautious of hedgehogs.

Original poster
Katymac · 05/04/2010 20:19

Wooden toadstools - great.......do you know a source?

OP posts:
LadyBiscuit · 05/04/2010 20:21

If you have a bird table in the centre (ie massively exposed) then they are generally pretty safe from cats because the cats can't sneak up on them. You could also make a really cool squirrel assault course - squirrels will do all sorts to get to food and it would be really fun to watch them do it.

How about a sunken room? That would be brilliant!

Solar lighting would also be good, especially when it starts getting dark earlier

LadyBiscuit · 05/04/2010 20:22

This is the kind of thing I was thinking of

CaptainNancy · 05/04/2010 20:23

Chickens and ducks- a school near us has them in their outdoor classroom.

Original poster
Katymac · 05/04/2010 20:24

I love this could I put it high in my tree?

I need to move my compost bins then I have a great under tree area in the corner that I need to develop

OP posts:
Uriel · 05/04/2010 20:27

I've usually seen them in garden centres.

This site has them. Scroll down to bottom.
Also has a storytelling chair.

LadyBiscuit · 05/04/2010 20:27

I found this too. Can you tell I'm supposed to be doing something else (ie ironing/putting laundry on/emptying dishwasher?)

Original poster
Katymac · 05/04/2010 20:28

Wow the mushrooms are gorgeous (but a bit pricey - I'll have to juggle)

We have chickens.........& lovely blue eggs
We grow apricots, grapes, plums, (we have a peach tree that doesn't fruit) a large(ish) vegetable bed

OP posts:
Original poster
Katymac · 05/04/2010 20:32

I can make one of these fairly easily without my grant

OP posts:
Uriel · 05/04/2010 20:32

A small 'hill' the kids could roll down/jump from?
A grass maze?

Original poster
Katymac · 05/04/2010 20:37

I like this

OP posts:
Original poster
Katymac · 05/04/2010 20:40

Is this mean??

OP posts:
Original poster
Katymac · 06/04/2010 20:01

Some good ideas - any more?

OP posts:
Swipe left for the next trending thread