hi there we have a lovely large garden with lots of different perennials shrubs and trees looking to replant areas just need suggestions on safest perentails and shrubs to get when you have children.
I would avoid things like euphorbia and rue, whose sap can cause photosensitivity and unpleasant blisters if they get broken and it gets on the skin - retrieving a ball for example.
Other than that that the answer is education. Teach them to be careful, never to eat anything without permission, to wash their hands before eating or drinking after being in the garden. Even tiny children can understand that some things might give them a tummy ache, though of course they should not be left unsupervised when they are very small.
Your garden will be very bare if you exclude everything that could potentially be harmful. Teach them to grow things for themselves instead so that they learn to understand and enjoy plants. That way your garden has a better chance of remaining beautiful!
I planted what I wanted - my children were taught how to behave in the garden and not pick anything without asking me first. As buttercup says - it's about educating them from the minute they can walk around on their own, and not leaving them on their own in a garden anyway - mine never were. It would be the same as leaving them alone in a kitchen with pans of boiling stuff on a hob or a room with an unguarded open fire. It shouldn't happen - they must be supervised
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
thanks for getting back to me think just worried when I go to alot of other people's houses just grass and so different to ours my oldest is aware about not eating plants just as new to gardening world wanted to check if there were any specifically to watch out for. Will take all advise on board.
It's natural to be concerned but there are lots more dangerous places than gardens for your children! We always had a pond as well and my girls loved sitting watching everything going on and being involved in life cycles but they were supervised. Teaching them in a calm way about being near water is also the key. It's the same with plants. Most children love learning about growing and respecting plants
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Be cautious with things with stiff spikes (not merely 'prickles', which every child should learn about!) at child-level - e.g. Yucca gloriosa. And as Buttercup says, things that can cause irritation on contact (although this is usually mild).
There are more safe plants (zero or low toxicity) than poisonous ones, so just check on a website like The Poison Garden if unsure about a plant. Bear in mind the likelihood of a plant being eaten as well as just the toxicity - something with poisonous berries that look edible to a child may be more of a concern than something like Foxglove, which does have poisonous leaves and flowers but is not enticing to eat.
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I would avoid things like euphorbia and rue, whose sap can cause photosensitivity and unpleasant blisters if they get broken and it gets on the skin - retrieving a ball for example.
Other than that that the answer is education. Teach them to be careful, never to eat anything without permission, to wash their hands before eating or drinking after being in the garden. Even tiny children can understand that some things might give them a tummy ache, though of course they should not be left unsupervised when they are very small.
Your garden will be very bare if you exclude everything that could potentially be harmful. Teach them to grow things for themselves instead so that they learn to understand and enjoy plants. That way your garden has a better chance of remaining beautiful!
I planted what I wanted - my children were taught how to behave in the garden and not pick anything without asking me first. As buttercup says - it's about educating them from the minute they can walk around on their own, and not leaving them on their own in a garden anyway - mine never were. It would be the same as leaving them alone in a kitchen with pans of boiling stuff on a hob or a room with an unguarded open fire. It shouldn't happen - they must be supervised
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I'm with both the above.
We grew up with a rowan tree dropping berries into the garden, but ,as stated above, we were told never to eat anything without checking first.
Kids need to live in the real world , not be wrapped in cotton wool.
They need to fall over, get hurt, get over it and learn from it. It's all part of growing up.
Get them into the garden enjoying every aspect of the great outdoors. When old enough encourage them to " help " too.
thanks for getting back to me think just worried when I go to alot of other people's houses just grass and so different to ours my oldest is aware about not eating plants just as new to gardening world wanted to check if there were any specifically to watch out for. Will take all advise on board.
regards
It's natural to be concerned but there are lots more dangerous places than gardens for your children! We always had a pond as well and my girls loved sitting watching everything going on and being involved in life cycles but they were supervised. Teaching them in a calm way about being near water is also the key. It's the same with plants. Most children love learning about growing and respecting plants
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Be cautious with things with stiff spikes (not merely 'prickles', which every child should learn about!) at child-level - e.g. Yucca gloriosa. And as Buttercup says, things that can cause irritation on contact (although this is usually mild).
There are more safe plants (zero or low toxicity) than poisonous ones, so just check on a website like The Poison Garden if unsure about a plant. Bear in mind the likelihood of a plant being eaten as well as just the toxicity - something with poisonous berries that look edible to a child may be more of a concern than something like Foxglove, which does have poisonous leaves and flowers but is not enticing to eat.
Things that are safe and particularly lovely if you have children in the garden are described on this web site about creating a sensory garden: - http://www.nationalgardeningweek.org.uk/Things-to-do-list/Creating-a-School-Sensory-Garden.aspx