This page gives a brief overview of the planning and construction of our Children's Garden Play Area in 2008....
This was the play house at the end of last summer (September 2008). The door, windows, and balusters still need to be stained.
View as you enter into the back yard from the turn-around driveway. The Children's area is to your right, behind the plantings. (September 2008)
View from the bottom of the lot looking up at the play area to your left, and the house and pool to your right. (Eptember 2008)
Our kids enjoying a beautiful day in the Play Area (September 2008)
Some of the orginal requirements we gave to prospective landscapers....
Basically, we wanted a kids' entertainment area that is as pleasing to look at as it is functional. Our thought was to sink the trampoline and build a custom play set, and then landscape everything and create a perimeter to make it feel more like a secret garden nook on our property.
During the previous summer (2007), we found that the adults always gathered in the grassy area where we put the simple swing set and trampoline. They would drag Adirondack chairs across the yard with drinks in order to position themselves closer to the kids. We finally just left the chairs in the middle of the lawn.
We spent way to much time at the kids' play equipment for it to not be an enjoyable experience. So, we began to devise a plan for a backyard oasis focused on play. Our oldest son has autism, so it was for both social and therapeutic reasons that we made sure the new space would work well for everyone. The first item of discussion was to add some smaller shade trees to block some of the strong sun, such as crepes or Japanese maples, as well as some evergreen for year round interest. We only wanted perennials and shrubbery that would stay neat, and nothing should be prickly to bare feet. Since the property had a natural rolling grade to it, we thought about using berming techniques to surround a level play area, giving it privacy and definition. We had done something similar in the front yard of our last home, and it worked very well.
We wanted screening evergreens, like skip laurel, English laurel, and ligustrum, along the back perimeter because it borders a road. The three willows are a strong focal point on the property, so we did not want to block them from the kids' view.
We were also interested in using an artificial turf in this area so that the landscapers don't have to maintain around the kids equipment, and the ground would stay soft and green all year round. We requested some landscape lighting and water source, maybe a small fountain with a bridge over a small creek. Our hard and fast requirements were as follows:
1. Make the addition of children's equipment into an asset to the property rather than a detraction.
2. Create a safe and inviting area for children by using several concepts:
- Sunken trampoline
- Safe climbing structure. Play house below, fort above.
- Sand pit area
- Gurgling rock fountain and creek. Nothing more than a few inches deep.
- Artificial turf soft falling surface
- Seating area for adults
- Special details everywhere to make it special
- Charming landscape, European cottage garden inspired
- Low maintenance plants, but some color and shade,--nothing prickly to bare feet
- Lighting
- Division of space...Make sure that the parents' area is close to the swings and sandbox, which is where small children need the most attention. Make sure that big kids and little kids have room to running into avoid each other.
- Views...Make sure that the entertaining areas of the main house , like the veranda and proposed kitchen would have views of the most appealing angles (i.e., hide the big slide, trampoline, and rock wall from direct views from the house.)
These are some of the reference and construction photos.....
Colmar, Alsace, France
Disney World, Magic Kingdom
Disney World, Epcot
Inspiration Play set from Barbara Butler www.barbarabutler.com
My original rendition of our concept play structure.
Charles Owen's original drawing of the play area layout. We ended up tweaking the position of the play house, fountain, and the entrance to fit everything, but the end result stayed very similar to the drawing. Since this was not a common landscape project, I worked closely with Charles, Aaron Claxton, the Project Manager, and Bob Jacobi, the carpenter to get all of the details right. The space includes:
- Entrance arbor of cedar and stone, leading to a path lined with boxwood, perennial flowers, roses, and stepping flag stones
- Entry footbridge that steps over a small creek originating from a gurgling boulder
- Artificial turf athletic fall surface covering the entire free-formed “oasis” of the play area, about 2500 square feet.
- Play structure built to resemble European half-timbered architecture
- 8’x 10 ‘ stucco and cedar playhouse, complete with Dutch door, wainscoting, lighting, trellis and planter irrigation, copper gutters, and slate roof.
- 10’x10’ tower fort above the playhouse with a telescope and ceiling fan
- Bridge over 4 swings,
- Commercial spiral slide,
- Fire pole balcony
- Rope net climbing ladder
- 11’ rock wall.
- Wireless Sonos music system, tied to the house and other outside entertainment areas.
- Sand pit with boulder surround
- Sunken double trampoline
- Adult and children’s dining area
- Surrounded by rock walls, boulders, privacy berms, and a wide variety of both screening and blooming plants.
Most of the following pictures are the view from our bedroom balcony. You can see how the play area slowly morphed into the original drawings.
The grass removal. (June 2008)
Pit and drain for the trampoline. (June 2008)
Grading done for the play area. Trampoline is in. The stone dust layer for beneath the artificial turf is added. Berms are being formed. (June 2008)
The stone walls are being added. The play structure has been started. 14' Crape Myrtles start to arrive. (June 2008)
The rope ladder, which we ordered directly from Barbara Butler, is installed. The foam mat is installed under the swing and the rope ladder. (June 2008)
Foam mat is installed under the rock wall too. (June 2008)
Plants start to go in. The copper gutters and slate roof are installed. (June 2008)
More plants go in, the artificial turf is being installed, and the stucco is done. (July 2008)
Artificial turf is in. Slide is in. Rock wall complete. Cedar trim is started. Stain colors are being planned. (July 2008)
Trim has been added, but no stain yet. (August 2008)
Staining is done. Some plant and stone adjustments are made. Door, windows, interior and balusters still need to be stained. (August 2008)
This is just one photo and some information about our Autism Event from 2008.
The view of the fireworks from our home is incredible. Kids and parents alike made sundaes, ate popcorn, and played in the Children's Garden. It was a perfect easy summer evening. We had a couple hundred neighbors and friends, and are pretty sure it will be much bigger this year.
