Bonjour lecteurs! Now more than ever, kids will want to spend more time outdoors. Fancy a garden makeover so that you can make more memories with your tribe? I don’t have much of a green thumb, but I have some simple idées to help you enjoy more time in your garden. Create Your Ideal Family Garden This Summer. It’s easy to turn your outdoor space into a relaxing spot that is truly yours.
Safety First!
If you have young children, your first consideration should be safety. So what can you do to avoid bumps or bruises?
Start from the outside and work your way in, first looking at a strong and tall fence to keep them out of danger. It goes so quickly; you turn around for a minute and they will be gone! It’s also handy for our bunny Chanel not to escape next door…
If you’re putting up a barrier, use some strong fence posts. Personnellement, I would go for flush panelling as it gives you more privacy.
Once the external side is préparé, look out for sharp corners, space between tiles, uneven grassy spaces and plants that could cut or cause a rash. Better be safe than sorry.
Next, we will talk about landscaping ideas to turn your garden into a relaxing spot.
Work Around Natural Features
If you have natural features like trees or particularly large hedges, try to work your garden layout around them. It will give a good sense of order.
A garden that is able to effectively balance natural features, furniture, and décor will look like a continuous space where there’s clearly been thought behind everything.
Plus, Nature is so pretty, you want to make the most of it. I would love to have a house with big trees or maybe a pond. My dream would be to have a big weeping willow. I find those so peaceful.
The Centrepiece
Whether it is a raised patio, a barbecue space, or a nice lounge area with comfy seating and a fireplace, your garden should have a central point for all the family to relax.
In our garden, we have a nice terrace where we set up the table in the summer. It’s lovely to eat dinners al fresco when the weather is warm enough.
But work around what you already have in your outdoor space. Par exemple, if you have two trees, you can hang a hammock in between them. C’est parfait to relax and the kids will certainly love playing in it.
Une autre bonne idée, you can have a fireplace. They are très populaires with kids: you can roast some marshmallows par exemple.
Add Colours With Plants
To make your garden more lively, pick a colour scheme and plant all the flowers you love.
For a family garden, I would recommend keeping flowers to one side of the garden, so that they don’t get trampled down by accident.
A circular floral arrangement sounds lush, but I am not sure it would survive long with littles ones…
The most kids-friendly flowers?
- Roses (Rosa)
- African Violets (Saintpaulia)
- Gerbera Daisies (Gerbera jamesonii)
- Sunflowers (Helianthus annuus)
- Snapdragons (Antirrhinum majus)
- Orchids (Orchidaceae)
- Petunias (Petunia)
- Marigolds (Calendula officinalis)
- Zinnias (Zinnia elegans)
- Pansies (Viola tricolor var. hortensis)
- Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis)
Something For The Pets
If you have a pet, you also want to think about them when you create your outdoors space.
Our bunny Chanel certainly loves being out in her rabbit run.
For dogs and cats it’s probably best to have a grassy space so that they can relax too. Do you have more space? Then, why not go for a pond where you can keep fish?
Get The Kids Involved
When you create your ideal family garden this summer, get the children involved too. It would be such a cool project for them to be part of.
Ask what features they would like to spend more time outdoors together. Maybe you can get a paddling pool or you can invest into a trampoline. Why not join the fun and go jumping with them?
Get them gardening too! Stanley loves watering plants and it’s a good way to give them responsabilité. Plus, is there anything more satisfying than making a lovely space altogether?
Your Little Touch
Last but not least, make it fun. Add your touche personnelle to your family garden. We have a hutch in ours that I painted with Stanley when he was little. I have very fond memories of that moment together and it really adds a pop of colour in our outdoors space.
Whatever it is you want, a bright sunshade, a swing…Make it yours to cherish and love for the few months to come.
All you need next is to organise a big summer party with all the yummy food et voilà!
Happy gardening!
Collaboration
