Your kids would really enjoy a butterfly garden around the play structure. Use flowering herbs like chives (onion = purple flowers garlic = white star shaped flowers oregano bee balm thymes have lots of colors & great scents etc. Mix in some daisies or cone flowers and watch the butterflies

I say don't worry about the yard for a few years. When your kids are older you won't need the big play equipment and by then you can even get the kids involved in the garden. Your yard looks like a fun place to hang out.

I'd like to say that having spent time in this yard I love it. My favorite part about it besides the great family is that it produces fabulous vegetables in the summertime.

Thanks! G is 3 1/2 and W is almost 2 years old. Dog and cat stayed out of our previous vegetable garden. We're in Zone 8- I think- Chico CA so we have a long hot summer and lots of sunny days. Boat and shed direction facing between W and SW. There are hydrangeas along shed and fence on right side. Vegetable garden would get sun all afternoon and only fence shadow for shade. I wanted some kid friendly veggies (we just did tomatoes last summer (I was a little busy! : We want a kid friendly yard with various "spaces" where they can go and play (ie deck under trees path to run along (what materials? Hope to train dog to use only ONE area of yard as a restroom...

With all the activity in your yard how about some container gardening?

No advice from me I just say that if you have kids (and obviously you do the yard will get 5 stars from them. I love the play area!

Lastly a varying height of bushes in front of the shed. Eveyrthing looks great!

If you want a vegetable/fruit garden; put a fence around it wherever you locate it! This just doesn't keep the dogs out but curious kids too. The flower beds on the side yard if there are no dogs next door and your dog hasn't created a beaten path along the fence (like mine have you can plant anything. Just be ready to see some plants just some trampled. If there is hedges or bushes will work. (Cont.

I agree with Bigeee; anyone who puts kids before a garden wins points! I'm also an avid gardner and you asked for it! LOL! (I have two kids and four dogs so have been through this! Create flower beds around the play area but put in a ground cover that doesn't mind being trampled. There are many of them out there. This will tie it into the rest of the yard. (Cont.

I had a vegetable garden last summer and it was horrible. We have two dogs and two little boys. The dogs and kids trampled through and all the vegies had a mind of thier own. They did not stay in their designated area. They overgrew and vegtetables rotted everywhere. Just to give you some insight on gardens with kids and dogs. I would only have one if I had lots of land and I would put it far away from everything. Good luck though. I think your yard looks fine. I would plant flowers next to the play structure but watch out for bees (wow I'm so postiive!.