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One of the things I love most about the new house is how much closer to nature we are. We don’t have a garden at Made’s parents place – we have a compound. Basically a courtyard with a few potted plants and trees that have been gradually dwindled down by the inlaws over the years (because plants are untidy?)

Our garden here is tiny but it’s just big enough for 2 small children to explore in. we have an avocado tree and a mulberry tree and all manner of wildlife visitors (including several rather brave mice and rats, which I don’t mind as long as they don’t come in the house). Of course we’re also surrounded by rice fields which act as an extension of the garden and are great for watching fireflies and bats at night.

The garden is a place for chalk drawing, den making, butterfly hunting, duck chasing and mud jumping. I also read this book recently (which I can highly recommend to anyone with children and slightly hippy ideals) and now I’m dying to make a sandpit, a teepee and an assault course out of tree stumps…