August Column In Velvet Magazine

For the parents of young children among us this month brings a certain amount of dread, as August is a month dedicated to children being on summer holidays and that question comes up, what do we do with them?! It is unsurprising that most of the enquires we receive in August, every year without fail, request designs to include elements that will occupy children. Of course, we are happy to do this but the advice I frequently give to my clients is to avoid creating a garden actually for their children. Whether we like it or not, children grow up and creating a garden with a trampoline as the main focal point or a garden with water slides running from one end to the other might not be the best of ideas long term. The better approach is to create a garden with a long-term vision so that in the short-term areas for slides, swings and trampolines can have their place but the garden as a whole can still be enjoyed by adults as well. Then when the children’s play ‘equipment’ is no longer needed, these areas can be seamlessly transformed into something that works in harmony with the rest of the garden.

My own family and garden are about to go through this particular transition. For years we have had a very large and ugly trampoline in our garden. When we first moved to Cambridgeshire it meant that my daughter would have to change schools so the promise of a trampoline in the garden was used as a bribe/incentive to embrace the change. This of course totally worked and for hours she would jump up and down and use it as another location to host tea parties for stuffed teddies and toys. Then my son arrived and soon enough both of them were in the same trampoline jumping, laughing and screaming (I am sure my neighbours particularly enjoyed this period). Now a few extra years down the line, the trampoline sits sadly in the corner of the garden, neglected, colours faded, and netting stretched. My daughter is now getting ready to move up to secondary school so sadly the tea parties have gone and instead of an interest in trampolines my son plays football almost permanently outside, causing my lawn to look as sad as I feel about this transition. When the autumn arrives, I will take down the trampoline. Bit by bit it will be packed up and disposed of, never knowing the joy it brought. Then the vacant area will be turned into a new border that will work with the rest of the garden. I’m sure it will look lovely, but I will forever miss the tea parties and that very large and ugly trampoline.

© Velvet Magazine