Have you spent lockdown getting your garden ready for this summer that will likely be different from any other? Do you want to keep your kids off their devices for a few more hours a day and instead encourage them to spend more time outside? Perhaps you saw an old school friend upload some photos on Facebook of her family growing tomatoes together? Whatever your reason, getting your kids involved in doing up the garden this summer will keep them entertained before they head back to school, as well as make the most of the last bit of summer sun.
- Create a Sensory Garden
Create a sensory patch in your garden together with different varieties of plants that tease the senses with interesting smells, textures, and tastes. The best plants for a sensory garden are typically Aloysia citrodora (Lemon verbena), which smells like sherbet, Mentha piperita f. citrate (Chocolate peppermint) that has leaves which taste like chocolate creams, and Cosmos that smells divinely like chocolate.
- Make a Flower Wall
Having a small outdoor space can be tricky, but additions like vertical walls are great ways to grow flowers and plants, and also make the most of your smaller plot of land.
Don’t have a spare wall in your garden? Go to arbourlandscapesolutions.co.uk to find a large variety of garden screen ideas for any and all types of garden. Once you have located which wall you want to grow your flowers on, let your kids pick which seeds they want to see bloom and then help them plant them. In a few months, they will be so proud of their own flower wall creation!
- Try DIY Garden Crafts
Getting your kids involved with DIY garden crafts is a fool proof way to get them to spend time in the garden, as well as make a functional item that you can also use! Things like painting terracotta pots will encourage your kids to let their imagination run wild with a vast palette of paint colours, as well as let them choose what gets planted in their pot once they’re finished. DIY wind chimes are a noisier addition to the garden but can look spectacular blowing in the wind!
- Go Animal Spotting
You might not realise just how much wildlife lives in your garden. The UK is home to an enormous array of colourful birds, especially during summer. Make sure your garden caters to these beautiful animals by providing a water source, like a birdbath, for drinking. You can also make your own homemade bird fat balls to feed your winged-friends. Kids will love topping up the treats for the birds in their garden.
Encouraging your kids to go bird spotting will also keep them occupied. All they need is a bird colouring sheet, a bird word search, or a bird spotting book for inspiration. For that extra bit of fun, get them their own small pair of binoculars so that they can keep an even better eye out!
