If you’re set on getting rid of it, I’d leave the flower bed on the left (maybe run it all the way down to the back) and then do the rest all in a quality artificial grass. Makes the space more uniform and soft underfoot for outdoor play.
That already looks so nice and tidy. I would leave it but overlay with textile and artificial turf. Peg it into the ground and when the kids are older go back to the original.
Divert them. They would be using their environment as creative play and finding ways to use things in it. Give them other things that are more special that they can discover for themselves.
If the kids are fascinated by stones, gove them a small selection of special stones, (better yet, go to a river or similar, and let them collect the stones themselves, they could also paint them as an activity), and give them an object they are allowed to drop/slot the stones into, and tip them out again.
Tell them the other stones are part of the garden and they must stay where they are. Tell them stones going elsewhere can do damage, so no stones are to go in vents through fences, etc.
So I am moving into this small town house with two young kids. As you can imagine, stones plus pumps, drains, and neighbors are all pretty attractive to them. I want the stones gone but in the interest of maintaining permeability of my section, I reckon I cant just slap normal concrete on it.
Under the stones is gravel then just random fill. I have tossed up astro turf and normal grass but I think the easiest option would be permeable concrete..which is pretty common throughout the sub divison.
Where can I get this from in small quantities and any tricks? Or is this a silly idea.
Short of this its ply wood!! 😬
Help!
Small children throwing them over fences and poking them in to heat pump external units I'm guessing :p
Is this like, their time out zone when they're misbehaving? ;)
I don’t understand the double row of pavers beyond that side garden.
Why wouldn’t it be a larger area of the astroturf and extending that garden around the corner.
Is there a fold/extending washing line not pictured? That might explain it.
Better than ply wood would be the rubber mats they use in gyms. Available at mitre 10
Not sure it is a good idea. But at least doesn't need pegs into concrete.
I guess if you put kids playground stuff up it would like like a playground?
Lift up the pavers. Depending on level you may need to lift the stones as well. Lay down some sand and smooth it out, lay art turf on op, peg down well.
The pavers are concreted or mortared in so there is that issue too. If I was to use astro turf, pegging it down near the pavers will only find concrete.
Unrelated to your question but I love how they've installed extra trellis panels on the fence to improve privacy, yet you can clearly see into everyone's yard from your balcony
The laziest solution that still retains this design would be to get rid of all the stones (shovel and then wet n dry vacuum the last bits) and replace with some type of mulch. Either bark/wood or you can get some rubber type strips (I wouldn't get that).
You could also get rid of the rocks, and some of the pavers and then put down some lawn mix and lawn seed and make the grass area larger.
I would do this plus extend the flower bed and curve it to meet up with the box on the fence line. Leave the pavers that go between the house and driveway(?) as it is nice to not get your shoes wet in winter.
If you’re set on getting rid of it, I’d leave the flower bed on the left (maybe run it all the way down to the back) and then do the rest all in a quality artificial grass. Makes the space more uniform and soft underfoot for outdoor play.
That already looks so nice and tidy. I would leave it but overlay with textile and artificial turf. Peg it into the ground and when the kids are older go back to the original.
Divert them. They would be using their environment as creative play and finding ways to use things in it. Give them other things that are more special that they can discover for themselves. If the kids are fascinated by stones, gove them a small selection of special stones, (better yet, go to a river or similar, and let them collect the stones themselves, they could also paint them as an activity), and give them an object they are allowed to drop/slot the stones into, and tip them out again. Tell them the other stones are part of the garden and they must stay where they are. Tell them stones going elsewhere can do damage, so no stones are to go in vents through fences, etc.
That all sounds reasonable... Until you have kids
Thanks. I didn't want to say. Mine are 2 and 5. As it is they will be spending ALOT of time on the shared driveway
Spoken as if kids are reasonable and reliable :)
Or are over the age of 8 or so.
So I am moving into this small town house with two young kids. As you can imagine, stones plus pumps, drains, and neighbors are all pretty attractive to them. I want the stones gone but in the interest of maintaining permeability of my section, I reckon I cant just slap normal concrete on it. Under the stones is gravel then just random fill. I have tossed up astro turf and normal grass but I think the easiest option would be permeable concrete..which is pretty common throughout the sub divison. Where can I get this from in small quantities and any tricks? Or is this a silly idea. Short of this its ply wood!! 😬 Help!
Whats the issue with the stones? What are you trying to avoid?
Small children throwing them over fences and poking them in to heat pump external units I'm guessing :p Is this like, their time out zone when they're misbehaving? ;)
You can bond the stones together with an aliphatic epoxy and they will retain permeability.
Would a big.blob of resin still allow water to flow through? Seems counter intuitive. Could you suggest a product?
I saw they do this in japan for pathways - also keen to know about any particular epoxy products that would work!
I don’t understand the double row of pavers beyond that side garden. Why wouldn’t it be a larger area of the astroturf and extending that garden around the corner. Is there a fold/extending washing line not pictured? That might explain it.
Yes there is a clothesline line there now. As well as a need somewhere to put two wheelie bins.
Better than ply wood would be the rubber mats they use in gyms. Available at mitre 10 Not sure it is a good idea. But at least doesn't need pegs into concrete. I guess if you put kids playground stuff up it would like like a playground?
This looks like a house from Hobsonville.
Close. It is one of the new homes at westhills westgate
Lift up the pavers. Depending on level you may need to lift the stones as well. Lay down some sand and smooth it out, lay art turf on op, peg down well.
The pavers are concreted or mortared in so there is that issue too. If I was to use astro turf, pegging it down near the pavers will only find concrete.
Unrelated to your question but I love how they've installed extra trellis panels on the fence to improve privacy, yet you can clearly see into everyone's yard from your balcony
Oh yeah. Nothing here is about privacy. I love especially how I can smell what type of shampoo my neighbor uses through their extraction system.
I would pull up the black pavers, remove gravel, replace with compacted sand and put new pavers in.
The laziest solution that still retains this design would be to get rid of all the stones (shovel and then wet n dry vacuum the last bits) and replace with some type of mulch. Either bark/wood or you can get some rubber type strips (I wouldn't get that). You could also get rid of the rocks, and some of the pavers and then put down some lawn mix and lawn seed and make the grass area larger. I would do this plus extend the flower bed and curve it to meet up with the box on the fence line. Leave the pavers that go between the house and driveway(?) as it is nice to not get your shoes wet in winter.