Designing a good family garden doesn’t automatically mean filling it with plastic toys or turning it into a mini theme park – it means creating a space that works for everyone in the family now, but can adapt as children grow.
The best family gardens are practical and enjoyable for everyone who shares them, including adults and wildlife, without a hard division between ‘adult’ and ‘child’ areas; instead there is just a gradient of use.
As with any garden brief, it’s as important to understand what the younger members of the family are interested in, and to unpick and understand what lies behind them. Their suggestions often reflect a desire for experiences rather than literal structures, which in turn can open up more a creative, achievable and flexible garden design approach.
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You can’t always have everything on your wish list, especially in a smaller space. Consider, for example, if you really need to squeeze in a hard-to-maintain patch of lawn, if there are shared public parks close at hand.
Flexible, not fixed
The garden should evolve naturally as needs shift – a garden designed only for the early years can quickly feel redundant – so it’s worth thinking carefully before installing any large, fixed play structures. Do you have space to spare, and are you confident they’ll be used for years to come? Ask tough questions of the elements you’re considering: does it really earn its place? The more a feature can do, the better: a low wall might be a perch, a balance beam or a platform for an impromptu performance, for example.
Can it adapt over time? Think sandpits that can later become raised beds, climbing frames that can be moved or dismantled, and paddling pools that can be folded away – or make a feature of it with a galvanised dip tank, currently terribly in vogue, which can be enjoyed by everyone on hot days or as an ice bath for the brave.
It may sound like semantics, but thinking in terms of playfulness, not just play, can unlock how a garden is imagined. Play can be structured and prescriptive; playfulness allows for spontaneity and creativity, for children and adults alike. Kids are endlessly resourceful and imaginative, and design their own rules of engagement; we adults can learn a great deal from them.
Family gardens are really put through their paces, so need to be robust. It’s best to avoid sharp corners and more delicate details
Often garden elements are not used in the way they are planned. I rarely used the swing tied to the willow tree in our garden growing up, but I was always climbing high into its branches. In designing family gardens, we aim to leave room for the unscripted bits that are so often the spark for invention.
Designer Hugo Bugg, with whom I founded our practice Harris Bugg Studio, recently installed a zip line at home, officially for his son’s birthday, but it does seem to be used far more by him and his partner. It has also, on occasion, doubled as an unorthodox washing line – a reminder that practical features may not be glamorous, but they matter and need to be considered. The elements that make a space liveable – storage, surfaces, shade, utility – need to sit comfortably alongside the playful and the imaginative.
Something for everyone
Family gardens are really put through their paces, so need to be robust. It’s best to avoid sharp corners and more delicate details. Paths may need to handle scooters, bikes and muddy boots, and surfaces must be stable, safe and forgiving. Lawns, especially, will take a battering from games and shortcuts, so design for desire lines and be prepared to aerate, repair and care if you dream of a perfect green sward. And artificial grass? I can’t think of a single reason to use it.
Good family gardens offer different types of experiences in one space. You don’t need a large garden to do this, just a bit of planning, and a mix of connected spaces; for example, somewhere active, somewhere quiet and something sensory.
The elements that make a space liveable – storage, surfaces, shade, utility – need to sit comfortably alongside the playful and the imaginative
This could be as simple as a shaded bench and a pot of fragrant herbs or grasses such as pennisetums that are tactile and move in the wind. Design the planting with texture, movement and scent in mind. Lamb’s ears, lavender, rosemary and fennel are all hardy, sensory plants that are engaging for children but are still grown-up and considered.
As our climate warms – London is projected to have the temperature of Barcelona by 2050 – shade matters more than ever, for all ages, and for the four-legged members of the family too. Plant trees to create cool spots for sitting or playing, and plant up pergolas. Think about how the sun moves through the garden during the day and ensure there are places to retreat from it. Temporary, movable shelters such as play tents and parasols can also help.
Hideaways provide autonomy and adventure within a safe space. I loved the muddy ditch at the end of our garden, much to my mother’s despair.
It might be as simple as a low hedge or dense planting that forms a tucked-away corner, or could be a willow den or a hammock slung between trees. These areas don’t need to be hidden, just distinct enough to feel different, yet within easy reach and in clear sight.
Raised beds, fruit bushes and wildflower areas are all great ways to engage children while making the garden more biodiverse. Digging, picking, watering and harvesting gives the garden life and energy. It doesn’t have to be tidy or perfect. A loose, slightly wild area can be more fun than a well-manicured lawn (plus it’s less work to look after when juggling everything else).
Think about small, layered details that keep the garden engaging year-round, such as textures in
bark, the shape of leaves, or brightly coloured (non-poisonous) berries. A good garden invites exploration even on a rainy day, with something as simple as a bird feeder that’s visible from the kitchen window.
Hideaways provide autonomy and adventure within a safe space
Safety first (but not all)
Hugo told me that when he and his partner were house-hunting, an estate agent remarked that ponds devalue family homes, as buyers assume they’ll need to fill them in to make the garden ‘child safe’.
Sadly, this viewpoint overlooks simple, effective measures, such fitting a safety mesh just below the surface, which can be removed as children grow; or using inexpensive chestnut-paling rolls that can be softened with planting and later removed. Water is too valuable to lose. It supports wildlife and helps children see the garden as part of a broader ecological system. Even a reflective water bowl can captivate and entertain.
This is not to downplay safety. In any family garden, gates should lock easily and reliably, and secure boundaries are essential. In one of our London family garden designs, a simple wire-mesh fence is discreetly set within yew hedging, keeping children and pets safe without creating the feel of a fortress.
UK regulations also require edge protection for any drop over 600mm, not just for children, but for adults too, with building regulations specifying that such guarding should be at least 1.1m high and designed to prevent climbing – so avoid horizontal rails or wires that could be used as footholds. The regulations also stipulate that any openings in guarding should be constructed so that a 100m-diameter sphere (read: an inquisitive head) cannot pass through or get stuck.
By encouraging younger members of the family to explore, observe and care, we’re helping them to build a fundamental connection with the natural world. As the saying goes, we only protect what
we understand, and a garden patch of any size or shape is a wonderful place to begin.
Design notes: A family garden in London
This is a garden we have designed in London for a family of five, built by Mark Whyman Landscapes and cared for by the client with support from us and Landscape Associates. It is designed as an intergenerational space for all to enjoy, and to evolve over time as the children grow. We’ve continued working with the family, planting bulbs with their three young daughters, selecting seeds and vegetable plugs together, and helping them paint and decorate bird boxes and feeders to hang around the garden.
- Green-roofed garden shed A practical spot to store tools and gear plus games such as swing ball and giant Jenga.
- Stepping stones Weaving through planting and log piles, these are a mix of stone slabs and log rounds to encourage adventurous feet.
- Woodland play area Staggered trees provide privacy at the back and create a wilder corner; a place to get muddy, explore and escape.
- Willow den Crafted by the willow weaver Judith Needham, this woven hideaway is treated annually with linseed oil.
- Hedge window A clipped opening designed as a playful peephole between spaces.
- Staggered hedge entry The offset opening creates the illusion of the garden’s end, tucking away elements like the shed and making the play space feel more secluded.
- Rear terrace Enjoys afternoon and evening sun. Currently set up for productive growing, it could easily transform into a space for low chairs and a firepit as the children grow. A tucked-away bench behind a hedge offers a quiet spot.
- Flexible lawn Space to play and sprawl, with sections left unmown for texture and biodiversity.
- Colourful, textural planting A strong backbone of grasses, with injections of bright colour as the season moves from spring bulbs to late dahlias.
- Large table Perfect for family meals or outdoor craft activities
- Parasol slot Set flush in to the paving so the surface stays clear when it’s not in use, the parasol is designed to be easily fixed in and out, making it simple to set up or store away. The slot could also be used for a rotary washing line.
- Bird feeders Dotted around the garden, with these ones placed for easy viewing from the house.
- Tap, drainage and washable surfaces Designed for messy play (mud kitchen, anyone?) with easy clean-up, so the terrace can also be smart for grown-up gatherings.
- Waterbowl Providing the benefits of water in a safe way for young children.
- Espaliered fruit trees Self-fertile apples and pears are trained along this wall for easy picking and attractive structure.
Case study: Terremoto cleverly built this adventure play area into a difficult slope
This hillside residential garden project in Silver Lake, Los Angeles, was designed by landscape studio Terremoto, with a large adventurous play area built into the slope below the house, around existing trees.
“When we started the project, the homeowner’s kids were three and four,” explains lead designer Rachel Tucker. “They wanted a space the kids could play in, but didn’t have a nice flat yard. So the challenge was how we would take a slope that’s not being used, and make it useful for the kids – and not just useful, but engaging, challenging and fun. A place where they could slide down, climb up etc.”
There was no formal design. “We started with a grid of six by six wood posts, and installed those around existing trees. The rest was just designed in the field.”
The team created climbing components such as a ladder, a climbing net and rope swings, and the slope has been used to the design’s advantage, with a slide and log steps built in to it, “but mostly we kept it flexible so the kids could invent their own fun”.