How To Create A Garden That Works For The Whole Family

Gardens serve a range of different purposes. 

For you, they might be an ideal spot for planting or relaxing with a glass of wine and some nibbles in the evening. But for your children, they may be more likely to see the garden as a play area.

The thought of this could fill you with unease, but we’ve compiled a guide to help you.

Read on to find out how to make your garden friendly for the whole family.

Form a Designated Play Area

Gardens should be a place that everyone can enjoy, and a great way to achieve this is by giving your children a designated area that is solely theirs.

Consider installing artificial grass in the play area to prevent them getting covered in mud and trailing it back into your house. Maybe add a swing or a small slide and some sports balls, or whatever you think they’d be interested in playing with!

A good way to cordon off this area is by installing fence posts around it, with a gate for entry and exit. If this is something you’d be interested in, make sure to install a fence with robust treated timber fencing posts. Treated wood is resistant to rot and decay, ensuring your fence will stay standing long-term.

To increase the fencing’s lifespan, we suggest you stain it every 18 months to two years.

Separate Planting Spaces

We mentioned at the start about how planting is the hobby of many adults. But your children may catch onto the idea and want to try it themselves if they see you regularly doing it.

It’s understandable that you’d worry about your kids accidentally trampling over your pristine flowerbeds. This is why we recommend creating separate planting areas, to give you peace of mind and your children a sense of independence.

Parents Area:

Your planting patch could be used as a place for shrubs and vegetables that require consistent tending and take a while to grow, such as tomatoes and peppers.

For added security, consider using raised beds to prevent kids accidentally marauding through.

Children’s Area:

This can be a smaller zone, featuring plants like radishes, beans, and leafy greens that grow quickly. Children may lose interest in plants that take longer to flourish.

Establish Boundaries Using Pathways

Forging clear boundaries between any adult or child-only parts of the garden is an effective way of conveying to your children where you ideally don’t want them to venture.

When it comes to making boundaries, you have more flexibility than you may think. Here are some handy suggestions for approaching this process:

• Install raised paths or stepping stones for a natural transition between zones.
• Use raised planters next to paths to act as soft barriers.
• Consider low hedging alongside pathways.
• Use decorative gates that stay open, while signalling a switch from child to adult zones.

This is another efficient method to help you feel at ease, while making sure your children can have fun.

Quiet Zone for Relaxation

To remove yourself from the chaos, chill out in a quiet area of the garden. This allows you to relax, while also being near enough to help your children in the event that they need you.

Pick a secluded or shady area of the garden, and install a bench there so that you can read a book, have a drink, or do whatever helps you wind down.

Consider fitting an umbrella there to make it more inviting and comfortable. If you’re looking to keep racket to a minimum, utilise a small water fountain or bubbler stones for enjoyable masking sounds.

Final Thoughts

Balancing your children’s priorities with your ideal garden space can seem like a very complex task on the surface.

However, there are numerous things you can put in place so that you and them can enjoy it in harmony. Spending time outdoors is essential for people of all ages.

Gardens allow children to burn off steam, while enabling you to relax and plant your own vegetables, shrubs, and flowers.

By utilising the methods listed above, we hope that you will be able to make your garden suitable for the entire family!