In the Shedquarters – Life in a garden pod bubble
There is something very appealing about the garden pod, the sense of being cocooned in a den is so reminiscent of childhood. None more so than in this bubble tent.
First inspection
I first saw these China Tigerspring see-through inflatable spheres at a garden show last year. It was boiling hot day and it was erected in the exhibition centre car park. I wasn’t sure about it. It seemed like it would be like sitting in a giant goldfish bowl and getting slowly baked. I have since seen the most beautiful pictures of the structures in glorious settings around the world and I’m moving towards liking them.
How they work
It’s described as the Bubble Lodge hut and is a nomadic inflatable tent composed of two spheres for use in the back garden, beach or just generally outdoors. The smallest version is the bubble room, which can be used either as children’s bedroom or a bathroom. The structure itself is made from strong PVC. There is an L-blower to inflate it and it’s recommended use is for 11 years and up. You get into it via zipper door and it stays permanently inflated with the blower.
Backyard bubble?
I am not entirely convinced I would put one up in my back garden. But what a fabulous structure it would make, a series of garden pods in a boutique campsite in a beautiful setting. Following an eco-design approach, these dreamy bubbles provide a fully renewable ecotourism device with no impact on the environment with a minimum of materials and energy.