Monday, July 3, 2017

How to Create a Family-Friendly Garden

During the summer months, there is nothing better than getting out in your garden to spend some time together as a family. And you will get even more enjoyment out of your outdoor space if you make it as family friendly as possible. It is very easy for everything to get taken over by the kids, but if you separate out the different areas, you can create a space that is great for everyone. Of course, what constitutes a family-friendly garden really varies from person to person, but here are a few general tips that will get you started.

Divide Your Garden into Zones

To start off with, you should make a plan of how you are going to divide up your garden. Check out some advice here http://www.hgtv.com/remodel/outdoors/dividing-outdoor-areas-by-function.  So, you may have an area where your kids’ play equipment is kept and a separate section where you have a flowerbed or vegetable patch. You may also want to create an area for entertaining where you put the chairs, table and barbecue. Ultimately, you want to have different areas depending on the various functions of your garden. Of course, it is nice for them all to overlap, but you may decide that there are some sections that are out of bounds for the kids. If you are a keen gardener, you don’t want all your hard work to end up getting trampled on! Depending on how old your kids are, you may want to put their equipment in view of the house so you can keep an eye on them on their own. However, if they are a little older, you may want to give them an area that is more shielded.
Choose Some Equipment for the Kids



One of the most exciting aspects of the garden for your kids is the equipment you choose for them. At the cheaper end of the scale are the bright and bold plastic items that you can pick up from various places. A swing set is high up on the list for many kids, so take a look at the stylish metal ones that are available at https://backyardville.com/flexible-flyer-metal-swing-sets/. Another great option that is fun for kids of all ages is a trampoline, and you may also find yourself enjoying it too! If you want to encourage them to try something a little more sporty, you could go for something like a badminton net or table tennis table. If you are particularly handy and good with your DIY tasks, another option is to make some play equipment yourself, though you need to make sure that everything is entirely safe for use.

Make Sure the Garden is Safe

You will find it much more difficult to get the maximum enjoyment out of your garden if you are constantly worried about the kids. Ultimately, it all depends on the age of your kids and also how much of a sense of personal safety that they have. First of all, be careful with any water features that you have in your garden. If you have a pond already, you may need to put some grids across so toddlers can’t fall in. A good way to help your kids avoid getting hurt when they fall over is to make sure that your lawn is well-kept so that it softens their fall. Watch out for plants that could cause them harm like nettles or brambles and any others that may cause some sort of skin reaction.
Encourage Wildlife into Your Garden





A great way to encourage enjoy the garden as a family is to attract different types of wildlife into the area. So, you could start by putting up some nesting boxes containing different types of seed to encourage birds to breed. You are also more likely to get them into your garden by putting up a birdbath so they have a water source to drink and wash. Planting trees and hedges is another good way to do this as they allow all types of wildlife to seek shelter in them including birds, squirrels and hedgehogs. We already talked about making sure that your pond is safe, but if you have one of these, you can keep fish in there as well as attracting all kinds of frogs and insects.

Do Some Gardening as a Family

There is nothing like getting together as a family to do some gardening together. Start off with something simple where you start seeing results quickly such as sunflowers, poppies and marigolds. A great way to generate some enthusiasm about gardening is by growing some vegetables. Not only do you get to see the results, you get to eat them as well and things always taste better when you have grown them yourself! With so much advice available online, there is plenty of information out there to help you get started.

Sprinklers, Water Pistols and Slides


When the weather starts getting warm, it is a great idea to have a water fight with the family. Sprinklers are a fantastic way to get wet while also making sure that the whole garden is well watered! And many people also set up their own DIY water slides using some plastic sheets. Otherwise, a classic water pistol fight is something that people of all ages can enjoy.

Don’t Worry About Trying to Make Everything Perfect

The whole point of having your garden is to give you a space that you can enjoy. If you have too many rules and regulations, it will be difficult for you to get the maximum fun out of your outdoor space. Of course, that doesn’t mean that you can’t take pride in your garden and have everything looking great, but just remember that you don’t want perfectionism to get in the way of your fun.   


These are just a few ways that you can create a fantastic family-friendly garden this summer. All you have to do then is enjoy the weather as long as it lasts and get outdoors as much as possible!

11 Smart Readers SAID::

Stacie @ Divine Lifestyle said...

Your garden is so beautiful. I love the work you and your family put into it. It's really paid off!

Unknown said...

OMGEEE LOVE the fairy garden!! I also love that you keep your garden wildlife friendly! For me that is part of the wonders of having one.

candy said...

You meant a flower garden when I think of gardening for us it is all about vegetable gardening. We do love a beautiful flower garden and yours turned out beautiful.

Jeni said...

I love that you encourage wildlife to enter your garden, so many people try to keep animals out of their gardens. Your garden looks completely functional and beautiful.

Unknown said...

LOVE all these idea!! I'm looking for a good summer DIY project...pinned! Thank you! Now I just need my dream backyard lol.

Claudia Krusch said...

I am in love with your pond. I have always wanted to add a water feature to my back yard. Planning your garden in zones is a great tip.

ricci said...

I love the idea of creating a fairy garden in your home garden! They are so cute and encourage little ones to participate!

Jocelyn @ Hip Mama's Place said...

I love the idea of dividing the garden into different sections, that definitely gives you more space to do different activities with the family. It's also a way to make sure that your plants are safe.

Victoria heckstall said...

What a brilliant idea! Your pond is so amazing! I like it. Having a garden is really good. That's great.

redheadmomblog said...

Your garden looks great! I love the water garden and the statues you added to the regular garden.

Louise Bishop said...

When I was younger, we used to garden together as a family often. I still have fond memories of it to this day.

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