Landscaping playground area...

[seamlyne]

Tired of mowing around the swingset and related toys, so the wife and I are talking about landscaping the area around them. Of course, we'd like to find the most cost effective way to border and mulch the area. Suggestions? Rock is out, naturally, but what about wood mulches? Or the rubber stuff from www.groundscape.com? Pros, cons, experience, stories to share?

Thanks!

- Wm

Measure with a micrometer
Mark with a crayon
Cut with an axe.

[Moonmaedyn]

I have seen some wonderful products on the market--the rubberized stuff is forefront in my mind as one of the good ones. I think the red looks kind of hokey, but I'm used to real redwood chips. You can even get "rounds" that go around trees and look pretty good--you may want to think of that when doing around the swingset, then you can put the loose stuff out on the ground. I don't know what "bouncing" capacity this stuff has in the event someone crashes and burns off a swing, but I imagine it's better than turf. It also doesn't float now the way it used to--when wet. You were constantly trying to put it back where it belonged after each and every rain.

[seamlyne]

quote:Originally posted by Moonmaedyn

I have seen some wonderful products on the market--the rubberized stuff is forefront in my mind as one of the good ones.

We'd thought about the rubberized stuff (http://www.groundscapekids.com/, if you're interested) but according to my father-in-law, a retired AFT agent, the stuff is impossible to extinguish if it catches on fire. We're leaning toward 2" or so of natural material, probably pine bark mulch if we can find it in sufficient quantities - thinking that maybe it wouldn't have splinters as bad as other wood mulches.

Measure with a micrometer
Mark with a crayon
Cut with an axe.

[mrcaptainbob]

To help mowing around the swingset...I installed wheels. Ran a length of conduit between the legs, ran a piece of all thread through that and attached eight 4" diameter wheels to the ends. I roll it off to another area when mowing. Never have damaged grass 'cause it's never in one area long enough. As for the slide that used to be attached to the swingset end, I attached an eight foot long piece of conduit to the ladder end and that keeps it from tipping. Makes it independant of the swing set and also easy to move. And, again, doesn't allow bare spots to form. ANother neat thing...the swings and slide can be moved under a shade tree to follow the sun....

[Moonmaedyn]

Not for nothin' but have you ever seen "natural" bark that someone has thrown a cigarette into? It smolders for DAYS. You could stand there with a hose until you're blue in the face and it's like a mattress! It goes inbetween the layers and is virtually impossible to extinquish without pulling all of it up.