Darren, Firstly that grass will need at least two years of TLC to get it back to a Green Sward, it is up to you whether you go the recovery road or re-turf, neither easy nor quick though re-turfing may be the quicker road if you remember you cannot walk on it for at least six weeks after laying and it will need a daily watering.
Two those flower borders are not too wide and could be planted up with shrubs, long living plants and or fruit bushes low growing fruit trees and or bedding plants. Make a plan, do it in sections you can finish say in a weekend and do just that bit, trying to do it all in one go usually means nothing gets finished and ends up looking like a builders yard. A well planted border with tall plants and shrubs becomes a mysterious jungle to small children, my lot often disappeared into the jungle and tiny feet keep the weeds down.
Three a children's garden as I learned with my own and my Grandchildren needs to be a raised bed and one they can walk around otherwise they tend to unintentionally walking on it and their Siblings plants (war). A wooden retaining frame four to six inches high is enough and just wide enough so they can reach the middle without stepping on it. Easy grow vegetables, cut and come again salad plants mixed with a few strawberry plants and Cherry Tomato is the way to go, it also shows them which are weeds and which Edible.
Four, I always tell people that gardens are places to relax, sit with a glass in hand in the sunniest spot and contemplate your navel or which ever part of your body that enthuses you. I did that first when I moved in here many years ago, it was lawn from fence to fence so an open canvass. We planned it then divided it into do-able sections as we both worked. then collected what we needed for each project started and completed that project working our way to what we wanted at the time, it took three years and we got what we had planned. There have been many plans and changes since, gardens never stop progressing a fact of life. What is in favour goes out the new comes in and we get older, just a thought.
Thanks frank all very good advice and gave me lots of ideas and things to think about. Doing it in sections is a very good idea. I will do that finish one section at a time so it doesn't become a big mess
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Yes, it is also incredibly difficult to get the damn thing level! The professionals know how to do it. Good luck!
Darren, Firstly that grass will need at least two years of TLC to get it back to a Green Sward, it is up to you whether you go the recovery road or re-turf, neither easy nor quick though re-turfing may be the quicker road if you remember you cannot walk on it for at least six weeks after laying and it will need a daily watering.
Two those flower borders are not too wide and could be planted up with shrubs, long living plants and or fruit bushes low growing fruit trees and or bedding plants. Make a plan, do it in sections you can finish say in a weekend and do just that bit, trying to do it all in one go usually means nothing gets finished and ends up looking like a builders yard. A well planted border with tall plants and shrubs becomes a mysterious jungle to small children, my lot often disappeared into the jungle and tiny feet keep the weeds down.
Three a children's garden as I learned with my own and my Grandchildren needs to be a raised bed and one they can walk around otherwise they tend to unintentionally walking on it and their Siblings plants (war). A wooden retaining frame four to six inches high is enough and just wide enough so they can reach the middle without stepping on it. Easy grow vegetables, cut and come again salad plants mixed with a few strawberry plants and Cherry Tomato is the way to go, it also shows them which are weeds and which Edible.
Four, I always tell people that gardens are places to relax, sit with a glass in hand in the sunniest spot and contemplate your navel or which ever part of your body that enthuses you. I did that first when I moved in here many years ago, it was lawn from fence to fence so an open canvass. We planned it then divided it into do-able sections as we both worked. then collected what we needed for each project started and completed that project working our way to what we wanted at the time, it took three years and we got what we had planned. There have been many plans and changes since, gardens never stop progressing a fact of life. What is in favour goes out the new comes in and we get older, just a thought.
Frank.
Thanks frank all very good advice and gave me lots of ideas and things to think about. Doing it in sections is a very good idea. I will do that finish one section at a time so it doesn't become a big mess