Age-Appropriate Playhouse Twins

I started working with a family in South Orange on a full master plan of their yard.  The project included an assortment of elements, but the central theme was play.  They wanted to create a yard that invited play around every corner with the caveat it needed to be adult friendly as well. 

​Being a parent really redefines “adult” and “kid” spaces.  I watch in amazement as my kids make every single inch of my house into a playground.  Couches are spaceships, airplanes, forts and hiding places.  A normal bedroom becomes the location of galactic journeys into the universe and blaster battles of stormtroopers versus Jedi.  The same can be said for outdoor spaces.  A backyard has the potential to completely engulf a child’s imagination.  All that’s needed is some creative approaches to landscape, and of course, a healthy dose of sustainable practices.  
 
The yard I am working with is a large, fairly flat space.  The flatness with the size makes it feel empty.  It’s good for sports, but ignores the possibility of imagination niches for children.
 
Tall grasses can act as walls and tunnel.  A change in topography can be a mountain, fort, back of a dinosaur or a thousand other things.  The uses of native plants allow backyards to transform into adult relaxation spots as well as educational opportunities for kids to experience nature and ecology. 

​In the spirit of a couch as toy, I talked to the owners about creating new topography in the yard.  I wanted to make grassy mounds that are easy to install and has the ability to become whatever their kids wanted them to be.  I had also seen a big double-walled corrugated pipe at the Willow School and suggested we add earth tunnels to the mix.  The earth tunnels would fit easily into the new topography.

Pipe at the Willow School

​I also selected tall grasses like Panicum virgatum 'Shenandoah' and plants like Joe Pye Weed for specific areas so that the flora would create boundaries for the eye and make spaces feel more full as well as make spaces that kids could explore. 

Panicum virgatum 'Shenandoah' is one of my favorite grasses. beautiful red hues.

Joe Pye Weed performs great in shady areas and adds tons of color.

​Lastly, we developed the idea of playhouse twins; two identical playhouses set opposite each other connected by a cargo net and monkey bars.  The plantings would surround the playhouses giving it a more exotic feel.  We even added climbing walls to the outside walls for a little extra challenge. 

​The first thing the clients said when seeing the playhouses was “That’d be an awesome place to sit and have my morning coffee”.  There’s a kid in all of us just waiting to play too.  Sometimes, by focusing on play and sustainability, age appropriate landscape design turns into fun for all.