Play Garden for Kids -Need lots of help

18 years ago

Hi- I want to convert an unused raised bed into a play garden for my toddlers (3.5 and 16 mos.)

-I'd like to make a: brontosaurus with a berm for a back and topiary head and tail - any tips on do-it-yourself topiary?

- I'd like to make a fake "stream bed" and plant it up with something walkable - I was thinking creeping thyme?

-I'd like to make an inexpensive sandbox with a canopy - anyone see any plans out there?

oh, and a living mini arbor (saw a COOL Kousa dogwood one in the inspiring book "A Child's Garden" by Molly Dannenmeier)

and a steel hoop tunnel - cribbed from the cover of the same book.

Ideas, suggestions, am I crazy?

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Comments (3)

fgirl21
18 years ago
Not crazy - just ambitious!
I have no suggestions - sorry! Never tried any of those projects.

I bought a little wooden bridge from Christmas Tree Shops for DD (age 3) -painted it up in bright kid colors and made a faux stream bed out of the rocks in the yard. DD just loves going back and forth over the bridge.

I DO have plans for planting on either side of the bridge so that it seems like you HAVE to go over the bridge. Making a sunflower wall on either side - the plants are just seedlings now...

As for the sandbox - do you want fancy or simple? Why not get some lumber and simply make a BOX? Add some supports and the canopy. No plans - just some measuring
rosagallica
Original Author
18 years ago
thanks fgirl - I am thinking a simple sandbox. I like your idea of plantings on the side of the bridges. Do you know of any small scale bridges available? The cheapest 3.5 foot bridge I found was $300 at Plow and Hearth.
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fgirl21
18 years ago
WOW!

You don't want to know that I bought my at Christmas Tree Shops for $40! It's a cedar bridge.

They are now carrying something a bit larger for $80.

Is there a store near you? Go on line to search -but they don't do online shopping.