Making a Play Garden for the Kids

Last week end we made a play garden for the children.
I had been wanting to make one of these for so very long after seeing the inspiration from The Imagination Tree

So as we came into Spring and I started planning the many things I want to achieve for a very outdoor inspired Spring and Summer one of these was to have a play garden.
It really seemed such an extension of the Mud Kitchen's we have had over the years that I thought our children would love it.

And so our plans were made!

Here is what we bought to make the garden with:
a roll of timber border
2 bags of potting mix
terracotta pots in various sizes
4 new digging shovels
a decorative lantern
a bamboo light
2 garden decorations
2 windmills (not pictured)
various plants as follows-
a pink and a white daisy
Italian lavender
Allyssum (Stephen's favourites)
Seaside Daisy (my favourite)
catnip
Marigolds
Felicia
Creeping pin Thyme
Pink Geranium
Hollyhocks
Pink Rosemary
Lanandula

Now let me take you through the steps we made-

We chose an area under a tree that would have a nice lot of shade for the children in the hotter months

First step: Gather the children to help with the project

They seemed enthusiastic enough and wanted to start digging up the grass straight away.

However we needed to call in the big guns to help as the ground is a little hard here

Did I mention while we were doing the play garden that Stephen and Saxon were starting to make our long awaited swing set?

Arwen and Trahaearn were keen to dig........just about anywhere except the  play garden area.

I finished up the last bit of weeding

and we have a garden play area

Now we poured out those two bags of potting mix on top

Next we started to do the fun part and add the plants and bits and pieces

Vellvin brought the small windmills we forgot to get earlier.

The finished garden all ready to play with!!!!

A small tour around the garden

The plants were planted around the outside, some annuals as well as some cottage garden plants that will re seed year after year.

I love the pot plants at the top part of the garden and the little water holder for some birds to come and drink from

This part is fun, the upside down pots for some little bugs and worms etc to make a mini habitat in.

At either end we put the small shovels to do digging in the middle of the play garden.
Cause we all know that if children are digging they prefer the dirt to a sandpit anyway.
In our experience a sandpit is a completely different play area with different types of play activities

This is one of my favourite parts - the small lantern that we can put a tea light in

We only just finished before the end of the day but I was happy with how it came together.

The little watering cans were a big hit too and are kept in the play garden so the children can water the plants easily.

Of course our littlest just had to go into the middle and kneel down in his best Church pants.

Over the week we have had quite a few little trips by small ones to the play garden for some outside fun.

Next up on my list- to finish that swing set plus platform and a very nice sandpit.
Blessings to you and your homes,