Though the summer may be coming to a close, it’s important to keep your outdoor space usable and functional year round. Many kids still like to play outside throughout the Autumn months and will want to play in the snow when the winter months arrive. Maintaining your outdoor space year round also means you won’t have a gargantuan task at hand when next summer rolls around. But what can you do to spruce up your backyard and make it an enjoyable place for you and your family to spend time? Here are a few suggestions to help you along the way!
Make the Space Safe for Your Kids
First and foremost, it’s important to focus on your little ones’ safety. Most parents focus on making their gardens nice for the sake of their children, who want to run around and play and have a good time with their siblings, friends or exploring alone. But there really are so many potential hazards in this space. Here are a few areas to sort out early on.
Store Chemicals Safely
Now, you may not think that you have chemicals in your garden. But chances are, when you get started gardening, you’ll have bottles of weed killers, fertilisers and cleaners about. Many of these will contain toxic components, which could prove dangerous or even fatal to children if consumed. Make sure to store any of these products well away out of your children’s reach each time you’re done using them. A locked space is ideal, or a high shelf in a garage or shed should do the job too. Products like granules may have to be watered into the ground to prevent little ones picking them up and eating them. You may also have to leave sprays to dry rather than letting your little ones play when you’ve just finished spraying the garden.
Don’t leave tools lying about
You’re also likely to use a variety of tools with sharp metal blades or prongs when you’re gardening. You need to store these away as safely as you do your chemicals when you’re not using them. Shears, secateurs, spades and more could all prove dangerous in the wrong hands.
Secure your space
When you have your kids playing in the garden, you should always supervise them. But a split second could see them get out through a small gap they may find in your fence. Of course, you want your garden perimeters to be secure to avoid problems like this from occurring. Fence panels deteriorate over time, as they are constantly facing the elements. They take a battering from the wind, are soaked and dried over and over and may face hail. Cracks, gaps and breaks are likely to appear over the years, so make sure to regularly check your fence panels and call in a professional to repair them as and when necessary. This is a particularly important step to take after a storm, when breaks are most likely to be caused.
Keep On Top of the Basics
All gardens will require regular gardening to remain presentable. If you have a shared garden space with other properties, a property management company is likely to take care of this for you. However, when it comes to private back gardens, you’re going to have to take things into your own hands. Invest in a lawn mower and ensure you mow the lawn when the grass is getting a little long. Get to the corners with a strimmer. If weeds are present, make sure to pull them. Water the grass regularly if it doesn’t rain to keep it healthy. Fit railway sleepers to section your garden into grass and flowerbeds or even cornering off a sandpit for your little ones. You can look here for some!
Brighten Things Up a Bit
Of course, kids love bright and beautiful spaces. Why not brighten your back yard up with some flowers? It’s relatively easy to dig up a flower bed or create a hanging basket. Choose the flowers you plant wisely. First, ensure the plants you are choosing are non-toxic and child friendly. Some plants have strong scents, so ensure you like the scent before planting. Some plants attract more wildlife, such as bees, which is a great thing! But if you are scared of bees or uncomfortable around them, you may want to give these plants a miss.
As you can see, there are a number of things you’ll need to do to make your garden space ideal for your family. But hopefully, some of the above advice will help get you started out in the right direction!