The Family

Durable, playful, forgiving

A garden that can handle real life. Tough plants that bounce back from football games, surfaces that survive scooter races, and spaces that work for children and adults together. This garden grows with your family.

The Philosophy

Children need outdoor space to explore, imagine, and burn energy. Adults need a garden that doesn't look like a playground. The Family garden balances both-creating spaces where kids can be kids and parents can relax.

This design prioritizes durability and safety without sacrificing aesthetics. We use robust materials and resilient plants that can take a beating. The result is a garden that looks good even when lived in hard.

Key Features

Tough Turf Zone

A lawn area designed for play-hard-wearing grass varieties that recover from foot traffic and games. Sized for kicking a ball but not dominating the garden.

Multi-Use Terraced

A flexible hard surface near the house for dining, scooter riding, chalk drawings, and outdoor toys. Safe, level, and easy to clean.

Adventure Planting

Tall grasses for hide-and-seek, sturdy shrubs for den-building, and sensory plants that children can touch, smell, and explore safely.

Growing Space

A small raised bed or pots allocated for children to grow their own plants-sunflowers, strawberries, or simple vegetables to tend.

Adult Retreat Corner

A seating area positioned for supervision but separate from the main play zone-somewhere for parents to be while children play.

Storage Solution

Built-in storage for outdoor toys, bikes, and sports equipment-keeping the garden tidy when playtime ends.

The Planting Palette

Family gardens need plants that are tough, non-toxic, and able to recover from accidental damage. We avoid fragile specimens and anything that might be harmful if touched or tasted.

Structural Survivors

Bamboo (clumping varieties) - Fast-growing screen, satisfying rustle, hard to kill
Ornamental grasses - Soft, tactile, bounce back from being sat on
Shrubby dogwoods - Tough, colorful stems in winter, tolerant of rough handling

Child-Friendly Favorites

Lamb's ear (Stachys) - Incredibly soft, silver foliage that begs to be touched
Sunflowers - Fast-growing giants that children can measure themselves against
Strawberries - Edible ground cover with sweet rewards for patient children
Lavender - Fragrant, attracts bees, tough as nails

Avoided Plants

Anything thorny or spiny (roses, berberis, hollies with sharp leaves)
Plants with toxic berries or leaves
Delicate specimens that won't survive ball games
Ponds without safety features (or we design without standing water)

Layout Principles

The Family garden is zoned by intensity of use:

Zone 1: The Action Zone

Nearest the house, a hard surface for wheeled toys and immediate outdoor access. This is where the daily chaos happens-so we make it indestructible.

Zone 2: The Play Lawn

A central grassy area for running, ball games, and outdoor play. Sized appropriately for the plot-big enough for play, small enough that the rest of the garden isn't sacrificed.

Zone 3: The Adventure Edge

Boundaries planted with dense, tactile planting that creates secret spaces, hiding spots, and sensory exploration. Paths that wind through for imaginary journeys.

Zone 4: The Parent Perch

A seating area with sightlines across the whole garden-close enough to supervise, far enough to feel separate. This might be a deck, a patio corner, or a bench under a tree.

Maintenance Level

Moderate. Lawns need regular mowing, and energetic children create wear patterns that need attention. But the planting is chosen for resilience over fussiness-plants that bounce back rather than needing coddling.

The design acknowledges that parents have limited time. We minimize high-maintenance elements and focus on robust solutions that look good even when neglected during busy weeks.

Ready for a Family Garden That Works?

This design adapts to your family's ages, interests, and your specific space. We'll adjust play areas, seating, and planting to suit how your family actually lives.

Start Your Design