What would you do with this yard?

[hillview]

We moved to the suburbs and have a house with a small backyard (which is HUGE for me). It is maybe 20 yards by 20 yards. It is somewhat wild but not horrible just not well kept. We have 2 boys, almost 3 yo and 8 months old. We don't want to spend a ton but want to do something. The neighbors are nice enough but they have a dog who had pooped in our yard at least 2 times and 3 kids who are a little more wild then my kids (so far!).

Ideas are:
low fence
do a patio
clear the ugly shrubs and put more grass seed down
get a Costco or something like that playset (there is a playground 2 blocks away but would we use this?)

These are not either/or but some of them?

Thoughts?

WWYD?
/hillary

[SnuggleBuggles]

Fence; patio where you can put something like a sand/ water table; playhouse in a scruffy part of the yard (remove ugly stuff, put mulch or grass down and put the playhouse there). Fence, grass and patio would be great. :)

I think that just space to run around, play catch and run through a sprinkler is probable better than buying a playset. I'd at least hold off on the playset for this summer and see how you use your yard and whether you go to the playground.

Beth

[linsei]

It sounds like you're annoyed with the lack of privacy. my 1st thought was if you put a playground in, the neighbor kids will be at your house - so you would need a fence. that would take care of the dog poop issue also.

I would suggest fence 1st, then add whatever else. Patio/grilling area with outdoor furniture, play ground (depends on if you like the convenience of playground in your back yard or if going to the nearby one is ok), spruce up landscape. A fire pit/table is nice for cool nights.

[C99]

Fence; patio where you can put something like a sand/ water table; playhouse in a scruffy part of the yard (remove ugly stuff, put mulch or grass down and put the playhouse there). Fence, grass and patio would be great. :)

I think that just space to run around, play catch and run through a sprinkler is probable better than buying a playset. I'd at least hold off on the playset for this summer and see how you use your yard and whether you go to the playground.


I second Beth's suggestions here. We have a city house w/ a tiny yard, about the same size as yours. We have a patio, but are currently using that for a large plastic climber and sand table, etc. We have flower/vegetable beds lining the grass, but mostly we just have a postage stamp of grass for the kids to run around, play in the sprinkler, etc.

[deannanb]

I'd also say go for a fence - not sure what kind of fences other neighbors have, but if everyone has a tall wooden fence - that will give you privacy - and safety.

You can add landscape, playground etc. later.

the kids will be able to play in the backyard without risk of leaving your yard.

we had dirt for at least 3 years before we re-sodded and have started to work on the landscape -

Your 3 year old will love the dirt!

[kijip]

I'd grow at least some flowers and food. :) Even if you are not a gardener, it is a great experience for kids. T has his own garden things and spots and simply loves it. He was off the moon today because our lettuce starts indoors sprouted. Great learning opportunity. He has been doing something with gardening with us since he was 2, even if it was just pots on the deck. We have a truly TINY yard (about 25 feet by 15ish?)and can do a lot there... several roses, a small maple, some nice flowering bushes, 3 4x4 SF gardening beds, a patio of concrete pavers that is large enough for a grill, a table and chairs. Not a lot of running around space, but toby does ok running around the beds and the side of the house (not included in that total). And we have a park across the street with a huge play set.

I'd make a plan before you start working on the yard because costs can get big quickly and without a plan, the $$ can go to waste if you buy the wrong things or realize you want something different later. Even just a sketch is a good start.

A fence would be my first priority. They are shockingly pricey so you may come to decide that is you big thing for the year and leave it at that for play stuff and landscape until you see how you actually use the space.

[BeachBum]

I would definitely do a fence, or some sort of enclosure so you can feel safe letting the boys play in the yard without running off, or someone else coming in. I think that a tall fence is worth it (5 or 6 feet).
Don't be afraid to think of alternatives to the fences you see at HD. We chose to do brick columns with lattice in between and have let vines grow up. This gives us a more "green" look instead of just white vinyl fence. We didn't want to pay for the fence, then have to pay to "hide it" by landscaping in front of it.

We also have a fountain with a large basin and a big sandbox. My son spends countless hours playing back there. We have a small grassy area behind that (20x20). We also have a large patio with a seating group, dining table, and grilling space. For us, the run around space is better than the climbing playground.

When we did our major backyard remodel this past year the best advice we got was that adults never set foot in the grass. Kids and pets use the lawn, grownups only use the patio. The point was that you shouldn't be afraid of making your patio too big.

I think what you decide to do will also depend on how long you plan to be in your home. Are you tailoring it for you or resell? For the most part, landscaping improvements are recouped at 100%+ in your home resell which is good news.
Oh, one other thing to think about/budget for. Think about how sunny/hot your yard is. (Maybe this isnt a problem where you are, I don't know). But you will want to make sure that you provide for shady areas if you living in the heat.

For us, our big patio is totally an extension of our home. We spend about as much time out there as we do in the family room. We spend a lot on our space and were having second thoughts in the process. But now we are so, so glad we did it. I couldn't imagine it not being there now.

If you find yourself planning to do a lot of plants/shrubs most independent nurseries will come out to your house, do a sketch and help you choose plants. They may be a bit more expensive than your big box home improvement store, but cheaper than hiring a landscape architect or the like.

[trales]

Good fences make good neighbors. There are a lot of lower cost options that are really nice looking.