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Tell Homebase how you prepare your garden for summer visits from DGC - £300 Homebase voucher to be won! NOW CLOSED

(134 Posts)
EmmaGransnet (GNHQ) Wed 05-Jul-17 10:30:19

During the summer holidays, your grandchildren suddenly have much more time on their hands than they’re used to. And, often, that’s where you come in. Homebase want to know about how you prepare for the times you’re able to drag your DGC away from their various screens and out into the garden.

Here’s what Homebase have to say: "No matter how big or small your garden is, you want to create a haven that can be enjoyed by your family all year round, especially in the summer months. You don't have to be a professional gardener to plan your own landscape, which is why we have put together useful advice guides and top tips containing plenty of garden ideas to give you the inspiration you need to begin.”

Maybe you have some garden games laid out that never fail to keep them outside and active? Perhaps you like to cook in the garden - their favourite BBQ treats! Are you lucky enough to make use of the extra time with your grandchildren to get them to help out with the weeding and other small tasks?

Whether you’re preparing games, food, saving odd jobs, or even child-proofing some of the more dangerous parts of the garden (those pesky ponds) please share below how you prepare your garden for visits from the grandchildren. Everyone who does will be entered into a prize draw where one lucky GNer will win a £300 Homebase voucher.

Thanks and good luck,

GNHQ

Standard Insight T&Cs apply

elodie17 Tue 18-Jul-17 19:52:24

moving all the plant pots out of the way so there is safe running space and getting a sponge ball and garden games out to play

sammylea80 Tue 18-Jul-17 18:39:11

I don't do anything to prepare it other than washing some jars out and getting out the nets to go mini beast hunting

snare Tue 18-Jul-17 18:20:27

we paint the garden furniture smile

baconbap Tue 18-Jul-17 14:41:42

get the swingball out

calicoskies2016 Tue 18-Jul-17 14:17:37

Cut the grass, weed the borders and set out their slide and toys to play with.

redcardinal Tue 18-Jul-17 12:21:56

Start by preparing the lawn ready for picnics on dry days. Ensure the outdoor games are easily accessible to fetch out at a moments notice. Try and get them involved in the weeding necessary to keep the garden tip top and teach them a little about the various plants and flowers that are growing in our garden.

blueberry1 Tue 18-Jul-17 10:22:21

Giant chalks for drawing roadways,etc. on the patio-my youngest grandson loves to make a little town to drive his cars around.We have also used shells gathered from the beach to make roads.Sometimes we roll out some lining wallpaper and get busy with paints,mostly applied with hands and feet!
Then there are treasure hunts-small toys or sweets hidden around the garden a bit like an Easter egg hunt.Paddling pool if it is warm enough,garden chairs in the shade for a rest and a cool drink.Sitting down gives us a chance to watch the birds and teach the grandchildren the names of the various kinds.Tits always raise a titter!
The broom is left out as they enjoy sweeping up,which is always a help.The older ones enjoy cutting a few overhanging branches
back too.
At night,we have been known to get out a telescope and map the heavens with a little help from a phone app!Or just gaze at the moon,lovely when it has a misty halo.
Gardens are a great asset for entertaining and educating children but most of all they are fun.

christineM Tue 18-Jul-17 09:41:01

I don't have any pets but the neighbourhood cats use my garden so I have to remove cat faeces; grrrr! I spray the patches with Jeyes and then I cut the grass. My pond has a permanent cover, installed for the children's safety. Then it's play time, trampoline, croquet and paddling pool when it's warm enough!

boulbyallen Tue 18-Jul-17 02:44:39

Turn the soil add fertilisers then prepare to plant my lovely beds. Mind next year I will have to have them raised

JayJay1874 Tue 18-Jul-17 02:13:33

Make sure pots and planters are safely in corners and away from the areas they will go to. Cut the grass and make sure all tools and implements are put away. Put the fence up to stop them getting down to the decking.

Lydia30 Tue 18-Jul-17 00:38:20

We have custody of 2 of our grandchildren and have had for 8 years. When they arrived we filled the pond in for safety.

Maggiemaybe Mon 17-Jul-17 21:52:29

No preparation necessary for our smallish garden with a nice flat grassed area and attractive scented borders, a couple of comfy benches to sit on under a shady tree. Throw in a few footballs and a ride in car and they're good to go. Very tame.

Now a visit to Grandad's allotment, just a short walk up the path, calls for a full H & S inspection by Nanna Maggie before they're allowed anywhere near, then intense supervision throughout! Water butts, coldframes, a big old glass greenhouse, wires and trellises supporting the produce,a vast array of old garden tools, wobbly-wheeled wheelbarrows, a cobwebby shed, a shaky boardwalk to totter about on, berries to pick from prickly bushes, the allotment dog as well as the occasional hedgehog, rat or fox... They absolutely love it!

KatyMalkin Mon 17-Jul-17 21:17:51

Lots of healthy but delicious finger foods, and their favourite toys

grannybiker Mon 17-Jul-17 20:47:28

Barricade the pond off as they usually bring their dogs who end up stinky and soggy!

mazgoli Mon 17-Jul-17 18:37:41

We are pretty safe, no open water. I like to make sure the grass is cut, everything that should be is tied back. We fill the paddling pool on good days early, so that by about 11am the water is a lovely temperature. Have scrubbed out the sand pit and bought three bags of sand for it. Last year DGD no. 2 wee'd in it "just to see what would happen". What happened was I had to throw it away. I think she wanted to make sandcastles and couldn't be bothered to go and get some water. Fair play, I say!
We give the garden furniture a good wash - in fact I think I'll wait until the next time they come and give them some buckets of soapy water, brushes and the hose. That sounds like a mornings entertainment to me!

helenbc Sun 16-Jul-17 21:56:56

Before my Grandchildren visit I get the grass cut & make sure my other half hasn't left any garden tools out or our dog hasn't left any surprises on the garden, then if its sunny i'll get the paddling pool out & make a picnic to have outside

Imperfect27 Sun 16-Jul-17 16:55:49

We only have a small concreted patio with a few sections for planting, but DH has made the most of these so GC will grow up knowing that lettuce, courgettes, broad beans (in their blankety beds), wild garlic, onions, tomatoes and strawberries do not come from the supermarket. We also keep flowering plants, including lavender and fuschia in ceramic pots. For the past two years we have sown and resown a butterfly / bees wild meadow section too - so lovely to see different layers of colours and shapes appearing and I am looking forward to teaching GS all the names and having conversations about ecology and honey etc. as the years go by. He is only 18 months old at present, but he will be getting some Gruffalo gardening equipment for Christmas smile. The latest addition has been some strings of solar powered LED lights - just to add to the sense of wonder when he next visits. Small can be very beautiful!

Elrel Sun 16-Jul-17 16:10:01

Cut grass, prepare small bed for planting, buy quick growing seeds. Find small size trowels, forks, watering can, garden gloves.
Be very clear which toys are allowed outside! Buy sun protection, sun hats.
Find picnic blanket, assortment of balls, cardboard boxes.
Look forward to blowing bubbles with DGS!

tabbaz Sun 16-Jul-17 15:49:39

I keep my garden dgc friendly all year round but in the summer I do pay particular attention to Blackberry bushes. I also have a large Koi pond and this is always a concern so we segregate it from the rest of the garden and lock the doors to it from the conservatory so no nasty accidental soakings!

Grandmarnia Sat 15-Jul-17 20:37:21

Cover the pond with safety netting
Clean the swing with disinfectant
Wash bucket and spades and fill up sand with new sand

rocketriffs Sat 15-Jul-17 17:45:27

Make sure the shed is securely locked up as I have sharp tools in there. They want to use it as a playhouse, but that's a big no no. Swingball is always a great fun game to play and I put it out in the back lawn for all the family to play. The grandkids love it. I also let them have their own little plots to grow things and they like to help with weeding.

kaasszzaa Sat 15-Jul-17 14:51:50

Our grandchildren love playing in the open wood barn, we have an easel set up plus lots of outdoor toys. It's the perfect spot to play, rain or shine. Our garden is safely enclosed with a very high fence and two locks on the gate. My precious baskets and tubs of players are out of shot from the football pitch/cricket pitch AKA the lawn! Saves Grandma grumbling smile

charliesantix Thu 13-Jul-17 10:27:37

Like in the photo, I open up the gazebo and get out all the games (swingball, badminton etc). that leaves space for a table with lots of food on it for them. i think they really do love coming round to mine!!

GillyG60 Wed 12-Jul-17 14:01:41

Remove any "trip hazards", scatter lots of cushions on the decking for them to launch themselves at and then we get the swingball out and let them win!

leanfun Wed 12-Jul-17 12:17:41

Just check that nothing has been left out for them to fall over. Cut grass short and have some outdoor toys ready for them to play with.

Also have table out on patio for eating and craft activities.