I used to find it hard to keep my garden looking nice, but also allowing it to be a fun place for the kids to play. The fact that I have children makes it much easier to look after any sort of greenery, but after having a paved yard at my old house, I know I miss the plants and grass when they’re not around.
Previously, my husband would take care of the garden and keep the lawn neat, but now he has a bulging disc, it’s just too much for him. We currently pay for a man to cut our grass regularly (and trim our bushes less regularly) but really that’s an expense we can do without.
My ultimate dream is to replace our lawns with fake grass so that there’s no upkeep. My neighbour has a gorgeous artificial lawn, and I’m not too proud to admit that now I’ve seen it, I want to copy!
Anyway, fake grass aside, here are my top tips for a pretty garden that the kids will love too:
How to Create the Perfect Garden – That’s Fun for Kids Too!
Low maintenance plants
Anything that grows without much caring for and is unlikely to dominate the garden is a winner in my book! We have daffodils that sort of just flower on their own every spring (which I love) and a couple of slow growing bushes (which provide the right amount of leafiness for me, but not so much that they need tidying up too often).
Toys that can be packed away
Small toys that can be stored in a shed or a garage when they’re not being used are fantastic for the nice weather. You don’t even need a big garden to get entertainment value from it. A sand and water table can be good for the little ones, we also have big bubble wants and some small trikes. For bigger kids, ballgames are always fun, we got a small (flimsy) goal and football from the pound shop (it won’t last forever, but it’ll last the summer and save me taking the kids somewhere that I’ll have to pay for entry).
Fake hanging baskets
I love the way hanging baskets look, but every year I always managed to kill mine. I’d steered clear of fake before because friends had complained the colours faded, but if you make sure they’re good quality, this shouldn’t happen. That way you can make your house look pretty without having to care for them. You can also encourage your kids to be imaginative (since you don’t actually have to keep the plants alive), my daughter and I used to leave tiny notes for fairies in ours!
Get a fairy garden
Kids love to use their imagination, so if you can make a special garden for fairies in a shall tub plant pot, you’ll give your kids endless fun. Me and my daughter had so much fun making our fairy garden a few weeks ago, I wish we’d done one sooner!
Grow a sunflower from a seed
Are you even a parent if you don’t teach your child science by showing them how to grow a sunflower from a seed, then forcing them to have a photo next to it when it outgrows them? Sunflowers are cheery and beautiful and I’m certain no one can see one without smiling! Aside from teaching your child about how plants work, they really brighten up your garden.
How do you keep your garden pretty but fun? I’d love to hear your tips, leave them in the comments section!
You might also like to read about home improvements that can be done when the sun is shining, and ways to use lighting in your back yard.
