Photo by furkanfdemir
With careful planning, you can create a garden that is suitable and fun for the whole family. Whether it’s young children who want to play, teenagers that want to be left alone with their phones or adults who want somewhere to relax, it can be done. It just takes careful planning.
Use Zones
Zones are very useful in garden design. Zones will break up the garden space into different areas. A good example is having a play area in one part, usually close to the house so you can keep an eye on your children. Another example may be an area to grow vegetables, away from the play area or an adult entertaining terrace in the sunniest part of the garden. Storage is often forgotten about so should be an addition to one of the zones. Creating distinct areas will help provide all members of the family with a distinct area to do what they want in the garden whether it’s play or relaxation.
Play Equipment Doesn’t Have To Be An Eyesore
There’s a huge market out there for large jungle gyms and play equipment. In fact, you can spend in the thousands for a quality solid play area. However, you need to think about just how active your children are and whether the investment is going to be used enough. You may find that your children are just as happy on a smaller swing set, rope swing, garden railway, or playhouse. Getting creative can be exciting and more cost-effective.
Use Raised Beds
Raised beds can also save you a lot of money if you have particularly poor soil or bad levels in your garden. They are also great for children, as they can act as seats, jumping off areas, playgrounds and mini tables for their outdoor play. Bringing toy sets outside to play in the borders is a low-cost option and will allow your children to be creative.
Separate Zones With Paving and Pathways
Paving can really help split up a garden by making the different zones more obvious. By adding a path off a football pitch or lawn you can help mark out which area is for the children and which area is for the parents. The use of level paths can also double up as roads or a bike track for children’s play. Using stepping stones can provide a ‘stone river’ for games and help to add drama to a garden. The options are endless.
Integrate Garden Seating
Seating is an important part of any garden. However, garden furniture can take up a lot of room and needs to be stored in the winter months. The use of timber raised beds in your garden design means you can incorporate integrated seating in the form of benches. This gives your garden a lot more seating for those impromptu BBQs, parties and children’s playtime. They will blend in perfectly with the garden and mean you can chase the sun as it moves around your garden.