Drawing up the plans....literally

Since I am very un-savvy on the computer and very low-tech I drew up our plans. Literally. With colored pencils.  First off is the part of the back yard before the creek. The lettered items already exist and will stay unchanged. The numbered items are new additions or re-vamped existing features.

a- small maple tree                  

b- playset                                        

c- large pin oak                                    
d- shed                                    

e- large maple
f- 3 small pines                                                             

g- large pin oak and pine          

                                                                                       

1- patio with firepit
2- privacy fence with natural weaving loom                                 

3- teeter-totter
4- dry creekbed
5- sand play area with rock garden
6- log balance beams
7- fairy ring and tree swing
8- bean teepee
9- sunflower fence
10- raised garden beds

11- rain garden      
                                                        

And now for what we call the "way back" (as opposed to the back, the woods, and the way-way back). This is a much more rustic area. It won't be changing much since it has a lot of natural features that we really love. There is a tangle of 2 drooping pin oaks with a wildflower patch under them, a fallen tree (that the kids call "piggy log" for some unknown reason) that is perfect for playing train on and investigating the process of decomposition, a small maple tree perfect for climbing, a couple apple trees that the deer love, and a fire pit. All we will be doing in the way back is adding a picnic table for the perfect summer evening campfire spot. 

the yard beyond the creek

Now all we need to do is wait for the weather to cooperate with us and we can get started!

The beginning stages

First things first, we need to prioritize. And make lists. And draw a picture!  That's about all we can do anyway since our backyard is cold and thick with mud. And it's going to snow again tonight.  Isn't springtime in the midwest beautiful? 

So on to my list of must-haves:

• a dry creekbed to carry rainwater down the hill to the creek, and for rock play
• a large sand-play area surrounded by a rock garden
• raised garden beds for planting veggies above the poorly-drained clay soil
• a rain garden near the creek to soak up floodwater
• a sunflower patch
• a bamboo-framed teepee for a quiet hideout
• a fairy garden
• a natural loom for weaving flowers and grasses
• tree stumps and logs for balancing and hopping
• a flagstone and moss patio with a privacy fence and a fire pit

Then I asked the kiddos what they really wanted to see in the backyard. Waterbug (almost 3 years old) requested a pretend play set, pretend couch and pretend people. Ummmm...ok? He finally understood what I was looking for and requested a sand area with lots of trucks and a swing hanging from a tree branch. Check. Ladybug (4 years old) wants a picnic table and a seesaw. Easy enough. So their items are officially on the list of must-haves. 

the kiddos enjoing the REAL playset on a warmish,
but very muddy day

Ahhh! That's quite a list! And that doesn't include my "wants" of a low slackline, tree fort, split-rail fence enclosing the whole yard, tractor tire, and tall dirt mound! Those will be for another summer....

Welcome to my humble abode!

Thanks for visiting! I'm Claudia - mom to two young children and wife to a very handy husband. My background is in geology and outdoor education. Since having my kiddos I came to realize that the hands-off, look-but-don't-touch, approach on the signage at most parks is not the way to teach our children to love and care for, and quite possibly SAVE our earth. They need to be able to PLAY, dig, climb, poke, balance, touch, smell and taste the earth. Only then will they gain the desire to become her caretakers. This blog will document our journey from a big backyard with loads of potential to our very own playscaped wonderland so they can do just that. If you've never heard of playscaping, let me tell you a bit about our inspiration:  our goal is to maintain a very naturalistic yard, full of native plants and habitats for wildlife, while giving our children a playful area to be immersed in all the wonders of nature. With our flooding creek, clay soils, glacial till hill, and still-forming plan we are sure to run into some problems along the way. Join us on our journey! So without further ado, here are the "before" pictures.

this is the official "before" picture, shortly
after we moved in almost 3 years ago

right behind the house in its current state

looking up the hill from the creek

the drainage creek