A well-kept and well-planned garden on your front or backyard can be a relaxing place to unwind and provide instant curb appeal. However, most homeowners never think of childproofing their lawns not until something unfortunate happens.
Your (or your neighbor’s, relative’s, or friend’s) kids might end up tripping or injuring themselves when playing with the landscaping rocks of your Utah home’s garden. Or perhaps fall or scratch themselves when climbing decorative boulders on your lawn.
Or maybe even hurt themselves on the tough and pointy branches and leaves of your garden shrubbery and trees. Whichever the case, it’s imperative that you’re able to childproof your lawn or garden when you have kids when guests with children are coming, or if you’re hosting a birthday or kid’s party in your lawn.
As such, we’ll be taking a look at simple tips and pointers on how to childproof your garden or lawn.
1. Make a play area.
The best way to keep kids away from harm is to make a designated playing area in the garden that’s safe from any rocks, plants, and other features that kids can roam around freely.
This area should be fenced up and could have tents, sandpits, or other features that would keep children entertained and safe while the adults are socializing.
2. Fence your plants.
Children are curious and playful and would eat or touch anything they see. As such, it’s important for you to put a fence to protect children from ingesting leaves and flowers (especially if you have toxic plants such as calla lily, oleander, and azalea). If you can, try and avoid toxic plans altogether, as their beauty and aesthetic may not be worth the risk.
3. Incorporate rocky areas.
Your garden may have rocky areas filled with landscaping rocks that some children might throw at each other or ingest, or perhaps even boulders that children would want to climb on. As such, it might be best to close off those areas with a tall fence and gate.
4. Consider ponds.
Although your pond’s water level may just be knee-high and pose no threats to adults, it can be a potential drowning hazard for small children. And more can be said about swimming or dipping pools in your garden. As such, it’s important for you to install fencing and to gate your pond or pool.
There are many beautiful and artisanal gate and fence designs that can add both security and aesthetic appeal to your ponds. You can also place a safety net over your pond to protect the plants (or even fish) in it, when you’re away or when there are kids at home.
5. Safekeep garden tools, chemicals, equipment.
Always keep your garden tools and chemicals locked up in the shed or stowed away properly in your garage. Children may ingest or play with harmful chemicals lying around the garden, or perhaps play with sharp or heavy gardening tools and equipment.
Handheld and riding lawn mowers can also be potentially dangerous, so it’s best to keep children away from them (and make sure not to use them when there are children around).
6. Maintain your fences.
We’ve talked a lot about fences in this article, but it’s also important to note that you also have to maintain your fence properly. You should regularly check if your gates and locks are functional, and watch check for any areas of your fence that may be splintery (if made of wood) or have bent or broken sections that can potentially be scratched or punctured.
A front or backyard garden can be a very beautiful feature for your home, but it is not without risks. The thought of childproofing your garden might sound difficult and perhaps even silly, but with these simple tips, you can help keep children safe in the garden while also safeguarding your garden’s beauty by protecting plants, rocks, ponds, and other features from potential damage.
