Creating Boo's Garden

Our back garden is one big square, kind of divided into different areas. At the top, steps lead down from the conservatory to a small patio, and then you go down a couple more steps to get to the lawn. The lawn is split down the middle by a path.

You can't see the right hand side of the garden from the house, so that is our adult/guinea pig bit, and there is a screened off paved seating area behind.
The left hand side of the garden is easily visible from the conservatory and kitchen, so this side is dedicated to Boo so that I can always see her.

Boo's side of the garden houses a big two storey playhouse, a slide, and a sand/water tray. There are also several raised flower beds which I intend to use with her for planting flowers and veg soon!

Boo's half of the garden

I thought about using one of the beds just for her to dig in but all the bulbs have just come into bloom and there's not as much space as I thought there was!
Then I saw this idea by The Imagination Tree, to make a Sensory Garden for children to explore, get grubby, dig and basically have a fine old time making a mess pretend gardening! What a top idea!


So I set to work digging up a corner of garden to dedicate to Boo's unique way of 'gardening'. I was going to do it next to her play house, but you would be able to see the mess from every back window in the house then, so instead I dug up a corner hidden by a raised flowerbed- so I can still see boo pottering about in it, but the mess is hidden! Hurrah! 
Also, we already had a big pile of earth there so the grass underneath had already died, so was the perfect 
spot!

I gathered all the gardening bits and bobs Boo already had and arranged them in her garden. And I put some little trellising around the edges to define (and contain) it!









Boo and I then popped to our local hardware store to get some more supplies; an ice cube tray, some little pots, a little colander, some plant markers, some straws (which have now found a new home in the sand tray!) some seeds, and, Boo's favourite, a water sprayer!





Suffice to say, the garden is a big hit! Boo was poorly when I first introduced it to her and it really cheered her up! It is something that can be changed, added to, used as a sensory base for many activities, and is something that will grow with Boo. I am so chuffed with it and look forward to spending the summer 'gardening' with my Boo!  

Strutting into her garden for the first time!

'Planting' her flowers

Sowing her seeds

Spraying everything, and everyone in the garden!

Thanks to the amazing Imagination Tree for giving me the idea- do go and check out the website, there are so many awesome ideas on there!

Thanks for reading,

MummyBear X