Small children or "young gardeners" in the garden. Make them welcome

With small kids in the house you should delay to install certain features in your garden until your kids has grown. Think about these points when planning:

  • It's not a wise idea to choose a flowering meadow as a play area. Meadows are only ready after the main flowering time and after the grass has been mown in early summer ).

  • Do not build a garden pond until your children are older. Garden ponds can become death traps for small children. Accidents do happen no matter how many safety precautions you take.

  • Don't waste your time and money on rare plants which are generally very demanding but rather choose robust, easy-to-care for plants.

  • Once the kids are grown up you can consider features left out previously again. Turn the once play area into a vegetable garden and the rose garden that you've always wanted can now become a reality.

Front gardens

The front garden is the area in front of your house that are normally used to park the car, pram, bicycle, dustbin or even as the reception area where you chat with your neighbours. Useful tips on how to plan your front garden and to give it an appealing appearance.

Electricity : Install all electrical cables required for lighting, automatic doors etc. before topsoil is put in place. Lighting at your front garden improves safety, creates a welcoming effect for your visitors and keeps burglars away.

Boundaries : If you have a good relationship with your neighbours this might not be necessary between the properties. However, a boundary to the road or street may be possible to keep strangers or animals off your property. Consider these following possibly boundaries.

  • Prevent small children from running out in the street with a planted boundary of prickly, ground-covering roses.

  • Look for a neat, simple suitable design if you rather prefer a fence.

  • Make sure that you have enough space if considering a hedge. Hedges are good wind, noise or dust screens. Use deciduous or coniferous species for trimmed hedges and a untrimmed hedge of flowering shrubs. Remember, thick tall hedges will let small front gardens even appear much smaller. 

  • Paths : No need to pave over the whole area in front of your house. Make sure that you only cover sections from front door to garage and to gate and cut down the amount of dirt carried into the house that way.

  • The house entrance: Your front entry must be the most influential for it will be the area of your property making the first impression the lasting impression. Consider a attractive paving of natural stone or frost-proof bricks. Give a inviting look with large container plants, climbing plants or a seat beside a front door.

  • Driveway to garage and storage area : Create a more natural looking design with a graveled area and concreted strips for the car wheels and avoid a tarmac surface.

  • Drain covers : Hide them between tall plantings or in solidly reinforced areas.

  • Dustbins : Hide it between a fence and hedge were it will be easy accessible. Tarmac or pave the standing area of your dustbin.

  • A tree near the house : Trees visually enlarge a garden. Fruit trees or a deciduous tree that will provide shade across paths in the summer is very pleasant. Prunus Serrulata (ornamental cherry) is the perfect and also most attractive plant to use here.