A garden is a great feature in any home, especially if you have kids. If you have recently moved into a property which has a garden, you will want to make sure that it is as child-friendly as possible. Below is a guide to some of the steps you can take to ensure that your garden is a safe and enjoyable place for kids.
Fill in or remove any water features
While water features such as ponds and fountains can make fantastic features in any garden, they are not a good idea if young children are going to be playing in the garden. Children are naturally drawn to water. After all, what is more fun than splashing about in the ocean or the bathtub? However, in a garden, a water feature can present a serious hazard. If a child wanders off or is left unsupervised for just a few seconds, they could easily fall into a fountain or pond and drown. Between 2003 and 2013, 90% of drowning accidents which resulted in the death of a child aged between 0 and 4 occurred in the home environment, with bathtubs and fishponds being among the most common locations where accidents happened. It can take less than 2 minutes for a child to drown in just 5mm of water. Drowning is often silent, which means that adults nearby may be unaware of what is happening until it is too late. Don't take the risk. If your garden has a pond or fountain, you should contact a landscaping company and ask them to fill in or remove the water feature.
Remove poisonous plants
When you move in, you should check to see if there are any poisonous plants which are growing the garden. If you are unfamiliar with the different types of plants, you should call in a gardening service and ask them to carry out an assessment on your behalf. Don't be fooled into thinking that poisonous plants will look dangerous. For example, the rhododendron, which is found in many Australian gardens, is highly poisonous. If a child were to ingest any part of this plant, it could lead to vomiting, low blood pressure and even a coma. If you identify any poisonous plants in your garden, you should contact a gardening service and ask for them to remove the toxic plants and replace them with a non-toxic flower. If you would like further advice, you should contact a landscaping and gardening service today.
