by Steve & Cathy Lambert

Swing open the doors and skip down the steps! Today it is my pleasure to introduce you to Steve and Cathy Lambert, HomeWorkshop.com’s Garden and Landscape Design Experts, and our newest Contributors. I can’t wait for you to read the fabulous ideas and advice Steve and Cathy have planned for you and your outdoor spaces.

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Whether you’re starting from scratch, re-landscaping or just looking to make a few kid-friendly changes, planning for the evolving needs of your family will allow your garden to grow and change with you.

With some forward thinking, you can develop a long-term design with landscape features and plantings that can easily be changed to suit your needs as your kids grow, and as time and money become available.

Using our own yard as an example, here’s how our garden has evolved with our family.

One of the first additions we made was a fenced deck off our master bedroom. This served as a safe outdoor play space when our kids were toddlers. Later, it made a great spot for a wading pool because we didn’t need to drain and remove it each time we used it (like you’d have to do on a lawn). We could just pull the plug & let it drain right through the Trex deck.

This deck space is still enjoyed by our daughter and her friends who spend lots of time in her playhouse and outdoor kitchen.

Here’s where we planned ahead. We built this deck with dreams of a future secluded hot tub spot for mom and dad. It was framed to allow a hole to be cut and a hot tub dropped in.

Next, since we live on a busy street, we decided our children needed a place to push and pull outdoor toys and ride tricycles. To accommodate this need, we installed what we now refer to as a “Trike-Track.” We positioned this curvy, circular path within view of the kitchen window so we could keep a watchful eye while still getting things done.

We used stamped, colored concrete and for added interest, pressed in leaves, dinosaur bones fossils (from a 3-D wooden puzzle) and dino tracks (made from a clay mold). The path was built to circle around an existing tree and planted mound.

When our kids were old enough for a play structure, we removed some of the plants from inside our Trike-Track and added a simple structure with swings, a fort, a slide and monkey bars. We chose a small structure that fit the space while allowing for a safe border between it and the hard surface of the path.

Our future plan for this spot is to transform it into a family entertainment area with; built- in barbecue, bar seating and a fireplace. We keep asking, but our daughter is not quite ready to trade in her swings just yet.

The next kid-friendly addition, when they were old enough to be trusted in the front yard, was our pond and waterfall. Aside from being a great place for the kids to enjoy fish, turtles, frogs, birds and dragonflies, our water feature helps to mask some of the street noise.

Another favorite family spot is our vegetable garden. It’s a great place to spend time together outdoors since we all enjoy planting and picking fresh fruits and veggies. If you have the sun, the space and dig digging, a veggie garden is a fun and educational way to enjoy your yard with your kids.

If you’re into composting and recycling consider getting a worm farm composter. Your kids will love feeding their worms food scraps and be amazed how quickly the worms eat through everything.

The largest play space in our yard is our lawn and it gets plenty of play time. It’s only about 800 square feet, but every inch gets used for catch, football, Slip and Slide, and sprinkler play.

When planning your own yard, keep in mind that lawns are not a complete necessity. That said — if you have the room, leave as large a space as possible for ball play and tag. For a nice plush lawn, choose an all purpose seed mix that will stand up to the wear and tear of kids. Our favorite is a 90% tall fescue and 10% bluegrass blend.

Our next plan to get the kids outside is to install a zip line. If you have the right spot for one, the sit-and-zip lines are safer, especially for younger children, than the hand-bar style. Also important is a large, level launching pad and a clear, flat landing spot.

You’ll definitely get your kids outside more often if you include a play structure in your yard. Install it well away from hardscape areas, walls, fences or large bushes. Ideally, any play equipment should be on a dedicated play surface like play yard or recycled rubber mulch.

Pay attention to the recommended age range when choosing a play structure. Because of the relatively short time your kids will be using it, be sure to factor in a replacement plan for your play structure space.

Children are drawn to water. When clients ask if they should keep or add a swimming pool, we remember the hours we spent in pools growing up and usually respond, “Yes!” There are so many safety features available these days including sonar alarms, removable fencing and nets which make having a pool much less worrisome.

Other ways to add water to your yard include; fish ponds, or pond-less waterfalls. Even a water faucet placed near a lawn can create hours of fun when attached to water-play toys.

Younger kids love sand boxes and these don’t have to be a plastic garden eyesore. We’ve built sand boxes into garden borders with rock or concrete edging and large climbing boulders. This gives a much more natural look while allowing the space to be easily converted into a planting bed later on.

Outdoor spots equipment and toys will get your kids outside too, but containing the clutter can be a challenge. Hinged wooden bench seats or storage cabinets built in under a barbecue counter make great dual-use storage spaces.

The term “kid-friendly garden” may have brought mental images of brightly colored plastic play equipment, but after reading this post, we hope you have a much different view of a modern family garden.

It can be fashionable and kid-friendly, providing an environment that’s stimulating to children and enjoyable for adults. A family garden should offer a reason for everyone, no matter their age, to go outside and play.

Steve and Cathy Lambert have created distinctively dramatic, custom gardens since 1989, through their award-winning Garden Lights Landscape & Pool Development in Orinda, CA. They share with us their advice and expertise on all areas of garden and landscape.

(Chief Design Junkie’s commentary: Cathy and Steve are two of my closest friends and most fun humans on the planet. That said, the gardens they create are extraordinary.)

How do you enjoy your outdoor spaces with your family?