My garden - improved with grant money

**Lincsminder** · 17-04-2010, 05:03 PM

Well my grant money finally came through and I have spent it on doing up the rear garden. We have used artificial grass (or a grass carpet as my kids call it) so the kids can go out all year.

The playhouse is carpeted and contains blankets and things for den making, a box of books on gardening and animals, magnifying glasses, bug catchers, pens and note books. Then the canes Down the left side are for tomatoes, cucumber and peas and to the right we are having 3 long thin planters made against the fence to grow our veg in. There is some willow trellis to be fixed to the railings out side the front of the play house for the children to weave materials though. I also have 8 out door scatter cushions on order to go with the beanbags and a large outdoor mirror which I will fix to the wall to the right of the table.

Just need to tidy up a bit on the concrete area where the sandpit and water tray is (the wood is for the planters and the wheelbarrow and lader need to go back to my dad) then that area just needs the kids to put their mark on it with some more pictures on the fence etc.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?ai...2&l=43e9638e5d

The kids love it and keep taking their shoes of to go on the 'carpet', it is so nice to play on, they have even taken the dolls house out side to play with. I now no longer mind them taking any toys from inside out as they are not going to get all muddy and ruined.

LOOPYLISA · 17-04-2010, 05:04 PM

**Leanne59** · 17-04-2010, 05:16 PM

looks great very jelous!!!

**Mouse** · 17-04-2010, 05:18 PM

That looks really lovely

**The Juggler** · 17-04-2010, 05:22 PM

wow! very jealous. looks fab and no mud!

**Mrs_F** · 17-04-2010, 05:32 PM

looks fab hun x

**sarah707** · 17-04-2010, 05:36 PM

Wow that looks lovely! Lucky children

**terrydoo73** · 17-04-2010, 05:51 PM

What a transformation - how long did it take from beginning to finish. You have made brilliant use of such a small space - congratulations. Did you do it all yourselves? Can I beg to ask where you bought your bean bags? Do the children use them at all. Everyone says I should have cushions or bean bags. I do not have grass at all - pure concrete and I have picnic table and benches plus a little table with parasol and chairs as well as the usual plastic chairs. Today I bought a small summer seat as well. I just do not know how I would really keep bean bags clean but was thinking of putting them in my little playhouse which is about the same size as yours. I have a small dolls playhouse on a table inside this playhouse and shelving for storage of skittles, beans bags balls etc. You have given me the idea of putting my outdoor pictures on facebook now too!

**Heaven Scent** · 17-04-2010, 05:53 PM

Wow - I'm green with envy - oh is that one of the 7 deadly sins - well divil the hare I care - I'm going to go on sinning - - My Local council get your hands in your pockets and dish out some cash in the direction of us childminders - we don't need any more stupid training we need CASH!!!

**huggableshelly** · 17-04-2010, 06:10 PM

wow its fantastic lucky you

**beccas** · 17-04-2010, 06:19 PM

how much was the grass carpet

i would love some .

**Monkey1** · 17-04-2010, 06:42 PM

Wow!

It looks lovely! A couple of minders round here have put in for the artificial grass!

**francinejayne** · 17-04-2010, 07:15 PM

Wowsers! That is such a wonderful transormation! I want outdoor carpet too, but unless the council pays for it I'm afraid I'm going to have to want!! Cheeky question

how much was the artificial grass?

**wellybelly** · 17-04-2010, 07:18 PM

Your garden looks fantastic! How much is the fake grass cost, it looks brill? Also where did you get the letters from on your fence? They look brilliant too. Well done you!

**Lincsminder** · 18-04-2010, 08:14 AM

Originally Posted by terrydoo73

What a transformation - how long did it take from beginning to finish. You have made brilliant use of such a small space - congratulations. Did you do it all yourselves? Can I beg to ask where you bought your bean bags? Do the children use them at all. Everyone says I should have cushions or bean bags. I do not have grass at all - pure concrete and I have picnic table and benches plus a little table with parasol and chairs as well as the usual plastic chairs. Today I bought a small summer seat as well. I just do not know how I would really keep bean bags clean but was thinking of putting them in my little playhouse which is about the same size as yours. I have a small dolls playhouse on a table inside this playhouse and shelving for storage of skittles, beans bags balls etc. You have given me the idea of putting my outdoor pictures on facebook now too!

Took about 3 weeks but we got rained off some days, it would of took much less time but my dad did it and he insisted on doing it correctly, so the decking is built on stilts concreted into the ground so it should last longer and not rot. There are pipes runing under the ground to aid drainage in the areas that got really boggy and the grass has compacted chalk then a thick layer of very level sand and this black material on top of that so the grass is perfectly level.

The bean bags are form Focus £16 each and are made from shower proof material so should be fine if we forget to take them in occasioanly.

Originally Posted by francinejayne

Wowsers! That is such a wonderful transormation! I want outdoor carpet too, but unless the council pays for it I'm afraid I'm going to have to want!! Cheeky question how much was the artificial grass?

The grass we chose cost £23 a meter and it was from no mow, we looked at others but this was definatly the best value for money.

Originally Posted by wellybelly

Your garden looks fantastic! How much is the fake grass cost, it looks brill? Also where did you get the letters from on your fence? They look brilliant too. Well done you!

My grant was £3500 but spent most of that on preparing the garden and the decking . The letters were made my the kids, I used open office and typed out the letters and numbers enlarged them and changed to out line only. I then got the kids to decorate them, some are coloured in and some have pictures on. Cut them out, laminated and stapled to the fence - easy!

**nell57** · 18-04-2010, 08:22 AM

It looks lovely, well done

Great idea with the letters btw, might pinch it

**flora** · 18-04-2010, 08:49 AM

Thats FAB!!!!!

When can we come for a visit ?????

**sammie09** · 18-04-2010, 09:10 PM

Originally Posted by Lincsminder

Took about 3 weeks but we got rained off some days, it would of took much less time but my dad did it and he insisted on doing it correctly, so the decking is built on stilts concreted into the ground so it should last longer and not rot. There are pipes runing under the ground to aid drainage in the areas that got really boggy and the grass has compacted chalk then a thick layer of very level sand and this black material on top of that so the grass is perfectly level.

The bean bags are form Focus £16 each and are made from shower proof material so should be fine if we forget to take them in occasioanly.

The grass we chose cost £23 a meter and it was from no mow, we looked at others but this was definatly the best value for money.

My grant was £3500 but spent most of that on preparing the garden and the decking . The letters were made my the kids, I used open office and typed out the letters and numbers enlarged them and changed to out line only. I then got the kids to decorate them, some are coloured in and some have pictures on. Cut them out, laminated and stapled to the fence - easy!

hi i really dont want to seem cheeky but could i ask how you got the grant as my garden really really needs upgrading
thanks x x x x x