Wooden Garden Swing

Wooden Garden Swing
What are some good ideas for designing a backyard for older kids?

Currently we have a wooden play structure in our backyard that is pretty basic with a slide. My kids are now 7, 9, 12 and 15. They rarely play with it anymore and it is getting older. We are going to be moving and won’t take the playset with us.

A tree house, fort, play house is always a good idea as it will give the kids their own special space which can also be used when it rains. Children love secret hide-a-ways, and gardens where children can interact and learn. Using plants or fences to separate the garden into different “rooms”, not forgetting seating. Anything with a flat surface can be used as a seat. Depending on the theme of the garden, a log balanced on two tree stumps, a pretty iron patio chair, or a couple of tyres stacked on top of each other can all make great seats for kids.

Don’t forget that designing the garden is a family event, just like the garden itself! Plan the garden together with your children. What would they like? What sort of play equipment is suitable for their current age and how suitable will it be as they get older?

Some sort of water feature incorporated in the garden would be a good idea, while obviously taking into account the safety aspect with regard to the younger children. Water need not be a danger if it is not sitting around in pools; make it work for it’s place in your child’s garden by being a pebble fountain or a series of jets to run through, or by falling gently down the side of a sheet of mirror or dripping inside a mossy rocky grotto.

A wildlife area to attract birds, butterflies etc can enhance the garden and let the children learn about their local wildlife.

Most children love to climb, As a parent, you can provide things of varying heights in the garden with soft surfaces underneath that will satisfy your child’s need to climb in a safe way. Log stepping stones, rope bridges, a slide built into a mound of earth covered with turf, or a small series of wooden decks are all great ideas to try, depending on the space available.

Once you have the bare bones of the garden in place and the plants all situated, try adding a few wind chimes (metal, wood, bamboo), or perhaps a large bell to a decking area to turn it into a pirate ship.

A few websites which should help;

Wooden Garden Swing

Why Wooden Garden Furniture Looks Great

Furniture always adds to the look of a garden. Wooden garden furniture especially so. Your garden is Mother Nature’s own spot at home. Wood, unlike metal or plastic, is one of her natural products, so is ideal for garden furniture.

Most wood used in the manufacture of furniture for the garden is of a hard durable variety. Teak is especially good for making quality furniture. It is dry-kilned before being used to make the furniture and its natural oils make it especially durable, ensuring the furniture will remain in good condition for many years.

Another wood used in the manufacture of quality garden furniture is shorea. Like teak, shorea is grown in the tropics and has similar attributes. It is a heavy wood and densely grained. This gives shorea a natural resistance to dry rot, mildew and insect infestation, making it ideal for furniture which is kept outdoors in the garden.

Whichever wood the garden furniture is made out of, there is a wide range of products available. These include bar furniture for out in the garden, benches and swings, dining furniture, seats and tables. These will all enhance you and your loved ones enjoyment of your garden as you relax or entertain guests.

While all wooden garden furniture can be purchased separately, it can also be bought as sets. If you buy a set of furniture you can be sure that it will all match. An obvious example is table and chairs. You can buy sets that include a small table and chair, right up to an expandable table to seat a dozen guests.

So if you merely want to sit in your garden, enjoying your own company, or entertain friends and family at an outdoor dinner party, there is a range of

garden furniture to suit you.

While entertaining is always great fun in the garden, it is also a great place to relax on a hot summer’s day or warm evening. You can buy benches to sit on or a lounger on which to lay back and soak in that sunshine. Fancy turning your garden into your own miniature pub? Then wooden bar furniture would be just the ticket as you pour out those drinks.
About the Author

Humber Imports are specalist importers and suppliers of high quality
teak garden furniture
and offer a range of luxury but affordable
teak patio furniture
for those looking to add an extra dimension to their garden. Visit their website for up-to-the-minute special offers on all imported grade A teak furniture

Empty Space in the backyard…what to fill it with?

So in our backyard we have a basketball hoop on the driveway, little gardens all around, an old wooden treehouse, a large patio and rocks surrounding it, a birdbath, and a lot of trees. We have a pretty big backyard and it’s filled all around except for one spot now. There used to be a round trampoline there but now that trampolines are basically illegal (we live in NJ and the insurance company now refuses to pay for trampoline injuries because theres so many…they don’t wanna pay even though thats what they’re for, but aside from governmental issues…lol) we had to take it down and now theres a big empty spot. No plants can grow there because next to our house is an apartment building that blocks out the sun in that area and too many trees surrounding it. We don’t know what to put back there. We have a swing but thats on the patio. Anyone have any ideas?

Lucky you!

2 things that Immediately come to mind are:

a fountain and
a gazebo – they sell them now in sturdy tent-fabric.
I’ll just live ‘vicariously’ through you..:)

Good luck.

Building Wood Porch Swings and Gliders – SwingPlans.com