Brownstoner Garden: Day 8
The rain this week hasn’t helped the progress in the garden. Over the past couple of days though, our contractor was able to smooth out the soil and lay out the bluestone patio while bringing in the sod and the lattice fence. Hope it clears up soon! Previously: Revised Plan [Brownstoner]
The rain this week hasn’t helped the progress in the garden. Over the past couple of days though, our contractor was able to smooth out the soil and lay out the bluestone patio while bringing in the sod and the lattice fence. Hope it clears up soon!
Previously: Revised Plan [Brownstoner]
I don’t think it’s got a lot to do with sandbox politics.
For what its worth, our sister-in-law put a sandbox in her backyard in CH last year and it has become a giant litterbox. She strongly advised us against it.
12:57, there’s a difference between adult-centric and kid-unfriendly. Sure the yard is kid friendly. No sharp edges, no big height differences, etc.
I’m not saying they should turn the yard into the kids kidszone with jungle gym, trampline and pool.. However, kids will have toys. Where will everything go so that the design ‘stays together’.. If they have people building stuff for them now, wouldnt it make sense to address these needs.
As the the sandbox…
I’m not saying every parent needs to have a sandbox, to each his own. I know that my daughter has benefited greatly from having her own sandbox. People talk about why arent there more girls interested in science and engineering. Maybe it has something to do with early sandbox politics being dominated by aggressive boys. Her time spent in the sandbox(away from these ‘distractions’), has sparked a desire for her to want to build or design buildings. Who knows if she will end up an architect or an engineer, it doesnt really matter. But at this point, she’s still interested in science and that’s a good thing. Comparing rat pee in public parks to private backyards is apples to oranges and seems out of place in this discussion.
Now that my daughter is ‘too old to play in the sandbox’, it’s turned into a lovely flower box.
No, don’t wash my kids hands 15 times a day, but I am a engineer who designed city playgrounds for 11 years so I just wanted to bring up the sand thing. You say you cover it all the time, so no big deal.
I just don’t see what makes this garden unfriendly to kids.
The yard looks so beautiful with out the fence.
Years Ago I visited a friends house on Parkside in Prospect/Lefferts, where three or four families had combined there yards for the kids to play in. One had a sand box, one had a jungle gym and the others were more open. A series of decks connected the houses at the second floor, so that you could walk over to your neighbors kitchen door. And I even think a few other houses around had gates or passages to the play yards. It was really a remarkable statement of community and openness, and took the yards into a whole other level.
12:44, are you one of those parents who has giant plastic big wheels all over the living room, bcs it’s “all about the kids”. Since when did a nice garden = bad parenting? Is a giant mud pit/sand lot with toys scattered all over creation better?
12:25, are you one of those parents that dont let their kids walk around barefoot and make theirs kids wash their hands 15 times a day to keep away all the icky germs?
Rat pee and poo in the sandbox is a new one to me. If you said Cat pee and poo, then i’d have to agree with you about it being an attractive bathroom. Its really not that hard to cover the sandbox when the kids are done playing. Just like covering the toilet bowl when you’re finished. You do lower the toilet cover after you flush, dont you?
as a mom of 3 with a small backyard, I don’t get how this is kid un-friendly.
also, a sandbox in the city is a bad idea unless you are going to cover it each and every night. they are working through this now with the parks dept. it seems it’s attractive to animals (esp rodents) who want to use the restroom and nobody will be shocked that rat pee and poo is really, really bad for you.
It’s really coming along, Mr. and Mrs. B! Too bad we didn’t get all this rain AFTER your sod was in place.
Anon 11:15–I will say our yard got trampled when we yanked out the chain link, but we weren’t trying to save anything. But I would hope there’s some contractor out there that would respect your plants.
pd–we share a semi-open privacy fence with our neighbors, and have a 36-inch opening between the two yards. We can add a gate in the future, but we’re really happy with the openness we have now.