I am just moving out of an apartment (no yard - I don't know how I did it!) into a home with a large rectangular back yard. As I have a 14mnth
old son I want to leave lots of open play area but would like a veggie
garden and flower garden also. I want to have some interest, not just a
large square or rectangular area, maybe even a space with a path and a
bench. Does anyone have design suggestions, I seem to be having a
mental block? Any ideas are appreciated.
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Maxcat, you sure have your future planned out - and a good one at that. Having a long range plan is the best. As your kiddies grow, you'll find different uses for your yard - you won't know if you need a BBall hoop, a skateboard ramp or a place to play road hockey.[or a playhouse, for that matter]
As children have a tendency to experiment, remember those poisonous examples. I was horrified when an "expert" on another web-site suggested planting Castor Bean plant by the outdoor dining table. Extremely poisonous plant with no real thought on her part.
As soon as they're able, get those kids outside. If they work with you [make it play-time for them] they'll develop a love for nature and a respect for our planet. [We could definitely be teaching them worse things.]
Any questions you may have, I'd love to help. For specific enquiries, include site conditions - light, moisture, near house, road or larger trees. Send pictures or hand-drawn plans of your property. I look forward to hearing how you and your children grow into your garden.
Hi,
I'd love to join this discussion, as I'm in the same boat with a new house/unfinished backyard, same climate, and little kids to consider in the planning of our new yard. We are working on 1-, 5-, and 10-year plans since we don't have a huge budget this year, but want to do so many things to the yard. This year, we plan to put in a vegetable and herb garden in the sunniest corner of the yard. We also plan to build onto the existing wood deck off the kitchen/eating area, just to make it bigger and better for entertaining or family meals outside. Eventually, we'll put a small shed in the corner opposite the garden, and then landscape around the perimeter of our fenced-in yard, leaving the middle open with lots of space for the kids to run. We will also put a swing set/jungle gym in the end of the yard in a couple years when the kids are a little bigger (they're 20 months old now). Good luck on your plan and I'll check back here for more ideas!
As you have a young'in I thought I'd point out some things to watch for.
The first is CHEMICALS. Store all your garden supplies [including fertilizer] way out of reach. Later on, you might find peace of mind with a lockable cupboard. Pressure-treated lumber is FULL of chemicals. That's why you're supposed to wear a mask when cutting and shouldn't burn it. The arsenic within has been known to leach into your soil and plants. It can be used successfully [and retro-fitted] by painting with a good quality exterior paint.
The other thing is, of course, poisonous plants. Castor bean, foxglove [Digitalis] and Angel's Trumpet [Datura or Brugmansia] are real baddies. Research each plant you're planning on using - leaves, berries and flowers. Time will come when they're playing outside on their own. Don't count on you always keeping an eye out. Teach you kids what they can and can't eat in the garden.
That said, there is lots of fun stuff. Herbs are great because of fragrance, taste and beauty. Have your kids work with you when you're gardening - they'll hopefully learn to appreciate and become a source ot cheap labor when they're older.
I like to recommend that children be "given" trees. They grow up with their tree and get to feel a special connection with the garden.
There's lots more to tell but I hope this is a good start.If you like, we can play message tag as you have more questions [we share the same weather]. I've just discovered this site and "I'm in love"
The first thing to consider for placing your veggie garden is sun exposure. If you have any trees in the back yard, you must take into consideration how the yard is shaded through the day.
How the home opens up into the back yard also plays a role. Do you have a deck off a kitchen? Is there a patio sliding door off your family room, perhaps downstairs, that leads onto a cement patio? Should you wish to have an outdoor eating area, with a table and chairs, you may first want to locate that so you can easily move in and out when carrying food and snacks. Another thing to consider is how your side gate (when you enter from the front yard) implies a path. My home has a side gate on the right hand side. A cement path runs along the side of the house a bit further, and continues around the corner of the house. In my case, I'm thinking of installing a new path of some kind when you get to the corner of the house, as a path into the yard. Then you have to ask yourself, "but where would I need to go from here?" My proposed path may be a curved line leading to a gate in the fence that runs along the back of the property, so I wouldn't be walking over just lawn. I'd like to use something more interesting than concrete-maybe flagstone or red brick, but I think a surface suitable for a tricycle will win in the end. I'll end up with a triangular-type area in one back corner of the yard, with the longest line in a curve. The right-angle where the fence makes a corner will be softened by border gardens with curved lines, and I may even make a circular bed for an ornamental tree in the middle of the "triangle". My home has both deck and patio on the left side of the back yard, so there is still a decent area of grass in about the middle of the yard for my kids to play on.
Another thing to plot in your plans is a shed for your lawnmower and gardening supplies, if you do not have one in place already. If you have a spot of shade, you may wish to use that for a shade garden. (I have shade just inside the gate from the front yard, so I have Hosta plans for that spot.) Keep in mind too an area where you may want to place a bench, for both visual interest as well as maybe a nice reading spot.
Good luck with your new yard!