Tips For Designing A Family Garden

A family garden plays so many roles, play, education, relaxation, entertainment, escape zone and so much more. Here are my tips for designing a family garden that ticks all of the boxes.

What Features Does A Family Garden Need?

My first question when designing ANY garden – no matter what size, what type of property or who will be using it, is always “how do you want to use the space?”. You see, in garden design, functionality is the most important factor. There’s no point in looking at the styling until we can be sure the features and the layout are correct.

So what features does a family garden need? That, of course depends on the family. But here are a few ideas to get you started.

• A shed – or some form of storage space for toys, bikes, spare furniture etc
• Patio – for relaxing, entertaining, outdoor dining, messy crafts, ride-on toys and mobility aids for older or less able family members.
• Lawn – for picnics, energetic play and to help keep the garden cool in very hot weather. Also great for pitching a tent.
• Shade/Shelter- absolutely essential in the UK
• Privacy – nobody likes feeling that they’re being watched!
• Sand pit or kiddies’ garden. This can be future proofed to become a bed/border when youngsters lose interest in digging.
• Plants – every single family member will find themselves learning about garden wildlife when you have a well planted garden.
• Appropriate safety measures – to prevent tumbles and stop toddlers (or pets) wandering off.
• Lighting – so that when the children are tucked up in bed, the adults can enjoy some well earned breathing space in the garden.

A pretty garden in Burnham with features to suit every member of the family

Adding Layers Of Interest To A Family Garden

As Dad to teenagers, I noticed that as my children were growing up, their interests would change almost on a daily basis. What held their interest on week 1 of the summer holidays would be deemed ‘boring’ by week 4. Yet some stalwarts of the garden have always been favourites – no matter what their ages.

Can you fill a garden with enough features to engage youngsters all year round? Again, it depends on the personalities involved, but yes I think it is possible.

Start by choosing your features wisely. You could invest in monkey bars or a trampoline, but after a couple of years, they won’t hold the same appeal as they first did. A garden room however, can be dressed to suit their age and interests. It can start life as a Wendy house and graduate to becoming a hangout for tweens. 

Garden shelters can even be repurposed as outdoor cinemas – the perfect way to create memories for all the family.

A plain old patio has limited interest just on it’s own. Add a fire pit though and it’ll become a meeting place.

A bird feeding station will encourage all kinds of fascinating visitors to the garden. They’re fun to watch and afford an opportunity to learn about biodiversity. Likewise, areas of planting designed to attract insects are the perfect place for bug hunts. Give a 6-year old a magnifying glass and I promise it’ll keep them occupied for ages.

As well as features, layout can add lots of interest to a garden. A network of paths, two or more seating areas and the art of hide and reveal allow the space to be enjoyed in many different ways. 

Water In A Family Garden – Yes Or No?

A pond holds fascination for everyone in the family. Naturally, tiny people will of course need supervision around the water, but as the children grow they can enjoy wildlife watching, or even dipping their toes in the water to cool down.

The sound of running water is incredibly calming and will benefit the wellbeing of all the family. If you don’t fancy a pond, why not incorporate a different type of water feature?

Every family garden needs a break-out space for exasperated adults. In this space we’ve included lots of built in seating and lovely ambient lighting to sooth the soul.

Futureproofing A Garden

Families change and evolve over time. When I’m designing a family garden, I always look to the future. Nan and Grandad might get a bit wobbly on their pins, toddlers will become teens and then fly the nest, Mum and Dad will (hopefully) find they have more time to relax.

Things like planting in a garden can be changed relatively easily as can furniture and styling accessories. However altering the hard landscaping features such as patios, paths and structures can be quite disruptive. So if you’re going to invest in a garden makeover, it’s wise to ensure that the layout is future proofed.

Start with the structure – can you imagine you family still enjoying the garden in 5, 10, 20 years time? What about the materials? Will you still like those pavers or have fashions changed so much that they look dated rather than weathered in? 

Most importantly of all, when future-proofing your garden, is to choose your landscaper carefully. Poor workmanship will not last. And whilst a lower price may seem attractive when you’re hiring somebody to build your garden, it could well be that the cheapest contractor is inexperienced and makes mistakes that will cost you dear in the long run.

Adding Value To Your Property

Families change and grow and at some point you may find that you need to move home. Your lovely family home will become someone else’s dream home. Of course, you’ll want to attract the best possible price for your property, and, if you can engineer a speedy sale, so much the better.

When designing a family garden, your family will of course be first and foremost in your mind. But it’s worth considering what might appeal to potential buyers for your property.

A prime example of how a garden designer sees things differently – the soil in this unusually shaped garden feature is destined to become a lawn for picnics and play.

The Advantages of A Professionally Designed Family Garden

Nobody knows your family or your property as well as you do, but sometimes you can be too close to a project to see it clearly. A garden designer, looks at your outdoor spaces through creative eyes, but also through objective eyes. Their training and experience allows them to come up with ideas you might never have thought of. 

Garden design is all about incorporating the features you need in a garden in a way that is practical, cohesive and visually attractive. So rather that plonk the shed in one corner, put the patio beside the back door (and in the shade) and then have beds and borders around the edge of the garden; a garden designer will find a layout that works with the topography of the garden, has plenty of interest for everyone in the family and can be built within your budget.

Even if you decide to do the work yourself, a professional garden design will give you a comprehensive plan to work to and ensure that what you build is the same as your family has imagined.

SilverBirch Gardens is all about creating beautifully designed gardens from the ground up. If you would like a 3D design for your family garden, please take a look at our portfolio of work to see if you like our style, and then contact us for an informal chat about your outdoor spaces.