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Child safe garden

New GardnerNew Gardner Posts: 79
in Problem solving
Hi all. We have a small patch of our garden which is relatively flat, and the rest is a bit of a hill. We cleared the flat part only to discover that there were uneven paving slabs underneath the shrubs /tree stumps etc. Any ideas how to make this uneven surface child friendly? We wanted to put a fence on the other side too but the concrete slabs meant this was not possible. We've been advised the bricks In the retaining wall were not secure enough.It was initially our intention to use this space as a play area....
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  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    I can’t understand the question, do you want the children to play on that bit with the big drop? Does that bit of fence screen the children from the house? 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • New GardnerNew Gardner Posts: 79
    Yeah we will put in a fence or railing at the wall (somehow) but were wondering what to do with the uneven flag stones to make them safe. We wanted to put bark chips down but that was before we realised there was paving stones underneath the soil and shrubs.
  • SmudgeriiSmudgerii Posts: 185
    Remove paving stones...  no point over thinking it.
  • FlyDragonFlyDragon Posts: 834
    I don't understand why you have that short fence in the middle of your garden?

    How old are the children?  Is it to stop them rolling down the hill and off the wall?
  • New GardnerNew Gardner Posts: 79
    edited July 2020
    We only have a baby at 7 months but were trying to make the garden safe for him in the future. And yes it was to stop him hurting himself from the wall drop.

    It wasnt our original intention to put that fence there. We just wanted one at the wall but the guy we had out today said that the bricks at the retaining wall were loose so he couldnt put a fence in there without building the wall up a bit more, so at the moment it's not finished. Hes coming back tomorrow to finish the fence (shown). He put one in at the middle section because at the start he said that because there was concrete flags near the wall and it was too big a job to put one in at the end (he would have to drill through each bit of paving).

    It's just a much bigger job than we anticipated it seems and are wondering if theres any way round it or just to leave the concrete flags and fence as they are, leaving dead space that we cant use. Any easy ways to lift up the paving? Or ideas for how to make use of the area? All I'm thinking is potted plants at the moment. 
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    "Any ideas how to make this uneven surface child friendly?"

    I don't understand my uneven surfaces are unfriendly to the children. If anything they are much easier for kids than adults. The older you get, the more you fear falling
  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,698
    edited July 2020
    Fire said:
    The older you get, the more you fear falling
    I think the problem with kids is they don't fear falling, so they habitually trip over things, and when they go down, their face hits the deck!
    "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour". 
  • Blue OnionBlue Onion Posts: 2,995
    I would leave the slabs, cover it would thick quality weed membrane.. then get in a load of sand to fill up the entire area about six inches deep.  Then get yourself some nice little slides and a small swing set and put that on top.. and some nice sand toys.  Your 7 month old will love the sand.. and eat it by the fistful.  No worries, just a bit grittier when cleaning nappies.  Get a baby swing that you can change out for a proper swing in a few years.  Maybe even put up one of those sun sails.. great for protection from the sun or a drizzle.  And a few cut logs or a bench to sit on while your baby plays.  
    Utah, USA.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Sounds a good idea but you’d have to have a way of covering the sand to keep cats off when it’s not being used. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • SmudgeriiSmudgerii Posts: 185
    New Gardner said:
    We only have a baby at 7 months but were trying to make the garden safe for him in the future. And yes it was to stop him hurting himself from the wall drop.

    It wasnt our original intention to put that fence there. We just wanted one at the wall but the guy we had out today said that the bricks at the retaining wall were loose so he couldnt put a fence in there without building the wall up a bit more, so at the moment it's not finished. Hes coming back tomorrow to finish the fence (shown). He put one in at the middle section because at the start he said that because there was concrete flags near the wall and it was too big a job to put one in at the end (he would have to drill through each bit of paving).

    It's just a much bigger job than we anticipated it seems and are wondering if theres any way round it or just to leave the concrete flags and fence as they are, leaving dead space that we cant use. Any easy ways to lift up the paving? Or ideas for how to make use of the area? All I'm thinking is potted plants at the moment. 

    Just use a spade to lever up the slabs.  I’d put a fence 1’ in from the wall using fence spikes then cover the area with small woodchip which is very child friendly.
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