Child friendly gardens

Trampolines are big ugly things!
Great fun though so to get around the visual problem they present – why not sink the whole thing into the ground to stop it dominating the view? This does involve digging a very large hole, and maybe even reinforcing the sides, but it means there is less height from which to take a tumble. It also makes the trampoline more accessible to smaller children.

If you’re planning on making a serious investment in play equipment for the garden, here are five pieces that will provide hours of entertainment without being a blot on your horticultural landscape:

Trampoline TrampolinesGB’s Gold Premier 12ft round trampoline, £225, is robust enough for adults, too – just don’t forget to sink it into the ground, which has the dual benefit of hiding the unsightly frame and making it safer for even small children to play on.

Swings Try a double swing set from Sitting Spiritually, from £269, or one of the same outfit’s more luxurious options; for a budget alternative, John Lewis’s £111.99 Plum Marmoset Wooden Double Swing Set is hard to beat.

Playhouse B&Q’s £149.98 Playhut Playhouse is easy to personalise with woodstains, curtains and even windowboxes.

Sandpit Taylor’s Garden Buildings’ wooden Sand Sailor Sand Pit is in the shape of a boat and comes with a handy, inbuilt storage area, £122.99.

Multi-use play centre The Glastonbury Tower Play Centre features a climbing net, monkey bars, slide and integrated sand pit, £644.99, from The Kids Window.