Family-Friendly Landscaping: Chelsea Flower Show Designer Offers Tips for Maintaining a Lovely and kid-friendly Garden Space
Creating a Family-Friendly Garden: A Guide to Catering to All Ages
A well-designed family garden should evolve naturally as the needs of its inhabitants change, providing a space that is both practical and enjoyable for all. Here are some tips for creating a family-friendly garden that caters to all ages.
First and foremost, consider the elements that make a space liveable. Storage, surfaces, shade, and utility are essential, but they need to sit comfortably alongside the playful and the imaginative. As our climate warms, shade becomes more important than ever, providing cool spots for all ages and even for the four-legged members of the family. Trees and pergolas can be planted to create these shaded areas, while movable shelters like play tents offer flexibility.
Designing a family garden should also take into account the interests of the younger members. Their suggestions often reflect a desire for experiences rather than literal structures. For example, a low wall might serve as a perch, a balance beam, or a platform for an impromptu performance. Good family gardens offer different types of experiences in one space, such as somewhere active, somewhere quiet, and something sensory.
Creative and practical family-friendly garden design ideas include creating shaded areas with trees and pergolas, using movable shelters like play tents for flexibility, and incorporating hideaways such as willow dens or tucked-away corners that offer children a sense of adventure while remaining safe and visible. Raised beds, fruit bushes, and wildflower areas encourage interaction by enabling children to dig, water, and harvest, fostering biodiversity and lively engagement with the garden.
For smaller spaces or more diverse interests, adding features such as a small fish pond surrounded by natural paving stones, accessible raised beds for easy vegetable gardening, and creative planters like wheelbarrows can adapt the garden to various ages and preferences. Using plant markers helps keep the garden organized and educational for kids learning about plants.
In terms of planting, consider texture, movement, and scent. Hardy, sensory plants such as lamb's ears, lavender, rosemary, and fennel are great choices. The garden should be robust and avoid sharp corners and more delicate details, as it will take a battering from games and shortcuts. Paths may need to handle scooters, bikes, and muddy boots, so surfaces must be stable, safe, and forgiving.
In summary, a family-friendly garden that caters to all ages and adapts as children grow should combine safe, shaded, and playful areas; edible and sensory plants; flexible and creative plant containers; and multifunctional zones that evolve with the family’s changing needs. By following these guidelines, you can create a garden that is both a practical extension of your home and a source of enjoyment for all.
[1] Creative and practical family-friendly garden design ideas. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=424
[2] Family garden design. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=425
[3] Small garden ideas for families. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=426
[4] Family garden design: 10 tips for creating a family-friendly space. (2020, August 19). Retrieved from https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/blogs/family-garden-design-10-tips-for-creating-a-family-friendly-space
- To create a family-friendly garden, consider incorporating creative and practical design elements such as raised beds, fruit bushes, and sensory plants, as suggested in the RHS guide on family garden design.
- For a family-friendly lifestyle, one can adapt their home-and-garden by adding features like a small fish pond, accessible raised beds for vegetable gardening, and unique planters like wheelbarrows, as suggested in the RHS's small garden ideas for families.
- To cater to various ages and preferences, a family garden should include elements like shaded areas, edible plants, flexible play areas, and sensory gardens, as discussed in the RHS's 10 tips for creating a family-friendly space.
