When you're designing your playscape, don't neglect the hardscape that can make the space feel comfortable, permanent, and settled into its site. Always question whether a fence is truly necessary (often it isn't), or whether another way of providing 'boundary' is more useful and more functional as well...one way of handling the perimeter of your site is to make it a bench.
I really like the constructions of 'Bankinzicht' from the Netherlands (their site is in Dutch, see an English translation via google translate) by two gardeners who make, among other things, 'natural nurseries' and have a particular predilection for constructing benches from discarded building rubble.
"The seats are for the most part made with materials that were released during the construction of a garden. The foundation usually consists of several layers of gravel tiles. Subsequent layers are stacked in a mosaic structure and supplemented with specific details of pottery, glass, or "found objects". In the pile and brickwork much room is left for planting. Kenilworth Ivy, Thyme and Yellow Corydalis species are fun and add color and scent. It is also possible to integrate the bench with a pool of water or a wooden seat."
I love the way their benches incorporate things like marbles and old pieces of pottery and have plenty of niches for hiding treasures or parking a toy car.
And note how the circular patterns of the benches at one of their 'natural nurseries' provide for the 'retreat spaces' previously discussed on the blog as a design feature to prevent playground bullying. Hooray for Bankinzicht!
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