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HGG

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I am getting rid of my garage, which currently stands in my back garden. The concrete base under it stands several inches above the level of the rest of my garden. I want the garden all on one level but am not really sure how to go about that.

My main question, though, is about what to replace it with on the ground. I want to put some play equipment there for my children - plastic climbing stuff, slide, etc. I don't want to put grass there as it'd get wrecked and muddy in no time. I don't want concrete/flags as my children are liable to fall on it and are softies! I don't want to use bark because it's disgusting stuff, I don't like it, the kids would still get muddy from the ground underneath it where it all got pushed away from the bottom of the slide, it needs replacing every so often, would get into the grooves of my decking and the baby would eat it.

So, what other (sensible! :rolleyes: ) options can anyone come up with please? I've wondered about that black stuff they use in playgrounds but haven't looked into it yet so have no idea about cost or availability.

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Just get concrete if you are that bothered about the grass getting ruined. A few skint knees and such will toughen them up.

It's not the ruin of the grass so much as the mess and there being little point putting it down now to wreck it instantly. It wouldn't grow under the play equipment anyway so I'd be paying out to kill new grass.

Far from toughening up at a few knocks, my children tend to develop a refusal to do any activity which they've hurt themselves doing previously. The lessons they learn from their mistakes are not to put themselves in that position again. Bit like their mum really! :huh:

you want a decking!

Just got that in the other part of my garden last year. Not sure I like the idea of that under the play stuff although it could be the better plan so far seeing as I'm insistent on being so picky. :lol:

What about a bouncy castle?

:bounce3 Although I already have the play stuff, so perhaps a bit late to think of that now! :(

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It's not the ruin of the grass so much as the mess and there being little point putting it down now to wreck it instantly. It wouldn't grow under the play equipment anyway so I'd be paying out to kill new grass.

Far from toughening up at a few knocks, my children tend to develop a refusal to do any activity which they've hurt themselves doing previously. The lessons they learn from their mistakes are not to put themselves in that position again. Bit like their mum really! :huh:

Just got that in the other part of my garden last year. Not sure I like the idea of that under the play stuff although it could be the better plan so far seeing as I'm insistent on being so picky. :lol:

:bounce3 Although I already have the play stuff, so perhaps a bit late to think of that now! :(

rubber tiles like play parks

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Now THAT is exactly the idea! Thanks MC. B)

No problem :D

First one google turned up after searching for "rubber playground tiles."

Off topic I know, but walked into B&Q last year and the helpfull guy asked if I wanted decking......so I threw the first punch, as a result I know have a life time ban from B&Q's.

....I'll get my coat...TAXI!!

I edited my original post to that, thinking I may get a witty reply :P

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  • 2 months later...

I've dredged this thread up from the deepest darkest depths in which it had gone into hiding. Reason for that is that I'm feeling rather pleased with myself. The garage is still standing in the garden with me having spent the last three months pratting about not making my mind up what to do. However, I'm going to get hold of an electrician this week to come and disconnect the electricity from the garage safely - best not leave it to me or my family to sort as I'd like us all to live to see another day! The garage can then come down and I'll be getting some of those playground tile thingies to go over the concrete foundations, possibly with a low fence round it; a. to stop my toddler falling down the step onto the other area I want to sort out and; b. because I think it'll look good B) .

Anyway, the reason I'm so pleased with myself just now is that we planted some veg recently from seed and everything's got seedlings now. When I went out there this morning there were no signs of anything in the pot where we'd put the sprouts - however, by this evening there were several small seedlings. We've gone from having just three of the tiniest carrot seedlings this morning to now having about ten noticeable ones. Our swedes have several seedlings which weren't there this morning too, about a dozen tomato seedlings have appeared and become an inch tall over the weekend and there are three times as many flowers on our strawberry plants as there were when I left for Glasgow on Friday! The only things now at risk are the shallots and spring onions which desperately need repotting into something an appropriate size before they croak it in this heat. Everything's in pots because my garden is all concrete/flags/decking. I reckoned I'd have killed everything by now! :rolleyes:

This all came about because I decided I'd let the kids have a go at doing a potato plant each. I'm still awaiting delivery of the seed potatoes :ph34r::lol:.

For those of you who don't want boring with my progress when I get over-excited - I'd recommend staying out of this thread! :lol:

Edited by HGG
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I've dredged this thread up from the deepest darkest depths in which it had gone into hiding. Reason for that is that I'm feeling rather pleased with myself. The garage is still standing in the garden with me having spent the last three months pratting about not making my mind up what to do. However, I'm going to get hold of an electrician this week to come and disconnect the electricity from the garage safely - best not leave it to me or my family to sort as I'd like us all to live to see another day! The garage can then come down and I'll be getting some of those playground tile thingies to go over the concrete foundations, possibly with a low fence round it; a. to stop my toddler falling down the step onto the other area I want to sort out and; b. because I think it'll look good B) .

Anyway, the reason I'm so pleased with myself just now is that we planted some veg recently from seed and everything's got seedlings now. When I went out there this morning there were no signs of anything in the pot where we'd put the sprouts - however, by this evening there were several small seedlings. We've gone from having just three of the tiniest carrot seedlings this morning to now having about ten noticeable ones. Our swedes have several seedlings which weren't there this morning too, about a dozen tomato seedlings have appeared and become an inch tall over the weekend and there are three times as many flowers on our strawberry plants as there were when I left for Glasgow on Friday! The only things now at risk are the shallots and spring onions which desperately need repotting into something an appropriate size before they croak it in this heat. Everything's in pots because my garden is all concrete/flags/decking. I reckoned I'd have killed everything by now! :rolleyes:

This all came about because I decided I'd let the kids have a go at doing a potato plant each. I'm still awaiting delivery of the seed potatoes :ph34r::lol: .

For those of you who don't want boring with my progress when I get over-excited - I'd recommend staying out of this thread! :lol:

Get netting over them or the mice will eat the fruit. The little buggers can sniff out strawberries from miles away. I've stuck mine in hanging baskets this year :lol:

Edited by Reynard
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Possibly a cheaper option than the rubber tiles/astrotruf are the big bales of bark you can buy from any garden centre, although the tiles are a good idea, but for even 18m square (which aint really that big) £359 is quite steep.

Already thought of that in my original post:-

I don't want to use bark because it's disgusting stuff, I don't like it, the kids would still get muddy from the ground underneath it where it all got pushed away from the bottom of the slide, it needs replacing every so often, would get into the grooves of my decking and the baby would eat it.

I know it's expensive but it's probably worth it. They're very moveable by the looks of it - I can take them with me if I move house, move them if I decide to change things round in my garden, pass them on if they're still in good enough condition when my kids are too old for it, etc.

Get netting over them or the mice will eat the fruit. The little buggers can sniff out strawberries from miles away. I've stuck mine in hanging baskets this year :lol:

:o Those mice can just sod right off! ANYBODY caught touching my strawberries will have me to deal with! <_<:angry::death:guns:guntoting

*puts out traps by strawberry pots, sets alarm for when garden centre opens in the morning*

Edited by HGG
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I love growing veggies. :D Last year I had a hugely successful crop of onions, shallots and tatties. My brocolli was not a success, but the rhubarb is wonderful. My tomatoes were ok last year, but I didn't really know what I was doing. I think that with a year's experience behind me now, I'll have an even better crop this year. :D

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I love growing veggies. :D Last year I had a hugely successful crop of onions, shallots and tatties. My brocolli was not a success, but the rhubarb is wonderful. My tomatoes were ok last year, but I didn't really know what I was doing. I think that with a year's experience behind me now, I'll have an even better crop this year. :D

:o Rhubarb! I *knew* there was something I'd forgotten!!!!! I used to grow that at my old house. I meant to dig it up and bring it with me as I only had the one crown, but in the haste of moving I forgot about it. :( Hey ho - the kids'll love another trip to the garden centre later. I'm spending far too much money on compost, tubs and the like! :huh:

What happened with the brocolli? What have you planted so far this year?

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Well, my rhubarb is growing at a ridiculous rate - I've already hacked it back - I've planted tomatoes, chilli peppers and peppers in my mini greenhouse and my onions and tatties are waiting to be planted hopefully any day now.

The brocolli started well, but then started flowering, then died. So don't really know what happened! :lol:

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