ideas

hi everyone i am about to start my garden. Its not that big (14ft by 10ft) i have a son and another one on the way and i would love to make it a place where they could go and explore. i really love gardening but i have not got a clue what to do, so any help with flowers and plants or arrangements would be most helpful.

 

I have two boys - and wildlife and jungles are top of their list.....

so, do a bubble fountain as they are young - this will be safer than a pond, and if you plant lots of leafy plants around it, you may even get some frogs...
my boys wanted a dinosaur patch, so we planted lots of ferns, grasses and more foliage plants where they would take their toy dinosaurs out to.
Another great hit is growing your own veg. If the boys help me to grow it, they are sooooo keen to taste it... runner beans, strawberries (in pots), peas (you can munch the peas straight off the plant), tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots and potatoes(in buckets), etc....
Plus a flat area to play on - if you don't have room for a lawn, chipped bark....(gravel is a no-no with young children - too much temptation!!)
Remember - check when you buy plants that they are not poisinous, and use as few chemicals as possible - slug pellets look like sweets to toddlers... (but snails are very digestable, including the crunchy shell... I found by experience... :eek: when my youngest tried one...)
I love the idea of a willow wig wam - that has reminded me... I may get one planted this summer.... boys would LOVE that idea to bits!!! and its sooooo easy... plus bamboos, grasses, etc.....
hope this helps and sorry its a bit long!!

 

Thank's very much for your help. I neaver thought of of getting help with the veg, I suppose it would be very educational and the cave would be get fun for the kid's and me as well. The dinosaur idea is cool we have a advnture dinosaur hunt. Once again thank's very much

 

something like this perhaps? ..only much smaller

http://timtyler.freeshell.org/temp/eden/living_dome.jpg

 

The best thing for a garden to have in my opinion is always a bit of adventure.Your eye wants to see the end of the garden when it looks, however dont let it apply alot of twists and turns and large shrubs, maybe small tree's, archways things that make you want to adventure to see wat lies in wait at the bottom of the garden i hope i have been of help.

 

As an added suggestion to the ones already provided - there are some excellent gardens for kids books - browse these for further ideas. I think your plan for a garden for exploration is very good - you can divide even the smallest space in to areas that surprise and please both children and adults - especially if they can have a den - whether off the ground or a shaded and mysterious corner - with a little pool