BACKGROUND:

Costa’s next project at the Tembeleski family’s backyard is to transform an unused corner into a playground paradise for the kids.

Costa has already installed water tanks, vegie beds, chickens and a range of other environmentally friendly features to help the Tembeleski family reduce their carbon footprint and provide masses of fresh food.

THE PLAN:

A boat will create the centre piece or feature of the play ground with a sand pit surrounding it. The children will be able to play in the boat, climb out and play on some rocks surrounding the sand pit. The beauty of the sand pit is that it will double as an absorption trench catching any drainage that runs off the hard surfaces and will slowly absorb back in to the ground.

In the Tembeleski family’s backyard Costa has reset the ground levels so that rainwater drains towards the lowest back corner.

With three children under five it is not a safe option to build a pond in the backyard (at this stage). But making an absorption pit with a sand pit over the top is a great alternative. It means that when the kids are older it’s easy to remove the absorption tank and sand, put a liner in and transform it into a pond – and just leave the boat for a great feature.

TIPS:

• Absorption tanks are easy to put together using purpose built plastic frames, lined with geo fabric.

• Once the absorption tank is in the ground, cover the pit up with sand to help peripheral drainage and you’re ready to start building.

• Costa has used hardwood sleepers to build the sand pit edge. The sleepers match what’s been used to build the chicken coop and planter beds. When building a feature like this look out for sleepers that have natural notches to give your creation some individuality.

• Be careful lining up the sleepers to ensure they are square. And, as with any hardwood, pre-drill the holes for nails and screws so they go in cleanly and don’t split the timber.

• Here’s a little tip: When using your drill out in the garden remember when you have finished drilling, be sure to have an old off cut of timber to sit your drill on. If you put it down in the dirt when it is still spinning it sucks in dirt and this will reduce the life of your drill.

• Line the base with geo fabric. This stops the sand mixing with the soil, and then you’re ready to start filling. To calculate how much sand you need simply multiply the depth, width and length of the pit to get an approximate volume in cubic metres.

• The sand pit being installed at the Tembeleski’s is 1800mm x 1600mm x about 400mm so that means it needs a little over a cubic metre of sand.

• Along the back fence Costa has planted an avocado hedge. He selected a variety called avocado ‘Wurtz’, which only grows to about 2 to 2.5 metres. It can be trimmed to form a hedge but will still produce beautiful fresh avocados.

FURTHER INFORMATION:

Costa bought Sydney sand to fill the sand pit from Smithfield Building Supplies:
901 The Horsley Dr, Smithfield, NSW 2164
Ph: 9756 3334

Costa bought absorption tanks and geofabric from:
Atlantis Corporation
3/19-21 Gibbes St, Chatswood, NSW 2067
Ph: 1300 382830
atlantiscorp.com.au
(contact George)

Hardwood sleepers are available from your local landscape supplier or hardware store.