The Playground Garden

The broken swingset could be a wonderful trellis for any number of ornamental vines or vining vegetables. Clematis, Wisteria, Trumpet Vine, and Dropmore Honeysuckle may be good choices for ornamentals. Scarlet Runner Beans, Hyacinth Beans, Morning Glories, cucumbers, gourds, watermelons, etc. may be choices for annuals or vegetables that might work well. You may want to string nylon trellis netting between the swingset supports to make better use of the space between the swingset poles. Or use ropes hanging from the pole across the top to train vines upwards. If the swingset is functional and there are children who still use it, plant on the ends only and train a vine across the top post. The vines may get somewhat mistreated, but the kids will enjoy "sharing" the swingset with new plant friends. They will also enjoy the flowers and/or vegetables they harvest as well.

The dump trucks, sand buckets, sand molds, old wagons, could make fun planters and carry out your theme throughout the bed. Punch in holes if needed to provide drainage and then fill them with a good soil mixture. Plant them up with easy to grow annuals that can take a bit of a beating in case children pick them up or drive the truck around, etc. Marigolds, Lollipop Zinnias, petunias, and nasturtiums might be good choices for these. Don't put too many plants in each container and be sure to keep them well watered, especially on very hot dry days.

Now what do you have left? The bubble mower? Mr. Potato Head? A few other miscellaneous items? These items which may not work as planters may be used as fun ornaments in the playground garden. Mr. Potato Head peeking out of a potato plant or other plant could be a fun surprise. The kids might even vary his facial expression from time to time. The bubble mower may be parked near a patch of ornamental grasses just for effect. Toy cars could be placed here and there amongst the plants as if they were trying to drive through a wild jungle. Set the play dishes out for tea on a flat rock. The idea is just to have fun, be creative, and find a home for the stuff. I hope you find creative uses for all those old toys at your home.

© Linda Mazar

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