The kids needed more to play with outside - there is only so many times they can re-dig the hole where the washing whirly-gig used to be. With their love of hiding and running in and out of little houses we thought of a den - with living willow being both the cheapest and easiest way to construct it.
When we bought a 3 m dome kit though we weren't quite prepared for 10ft long bits of willow.......
Digging the hole -
Emeline's vision of what the den will look like -
The first few sticks went it - we went in to regroup and work out the next step over a coffee and a biscuit at this stage. The instructions were, well, sketchy to say the least.
A quick google and off we went! The finished result:
In the context of the whole garden, it doesn't look so enormous - see? Its down the end on the right, in front of the orchard.
OK, so it slants a bit when you look at it from the doorway, but when you look at it from the house its spot on. The gaps are far from even, but I can still tinker with those a bit and tie it in a bit better as it grows. The windows were, I say modestly, nothing short of a triumph. I'm looking for some play bark to fill the inside with.
The main downside, if I'm being totally honest, would be that I got a 6' 2 man to construct the roof (yes, it was Jonathan, not some passing giant). So as a consequence the den for children now has a roof height more suitable for a convention of tall people. Still it will be nice to sit in when the kids aren't using it, I might put a little bench in there, and at least we won't have to stoop uncomfortably to join in the games.
