Gathering gardens traditionally started as community spaces for people to come together to enjoy nature, learn about and grow native plants, and have a space for celebrations and other recreational activities. On a residential scale, gathering gardens can be the hub of the family and function as an extension of your home. Gathering gardens are made to grow with your family and extend your time together and build lasting memories.
Designing a Gathering Garden
Whether grilling up dinner, sitting around the fire pit, a dip in the pool, or relaxing to read a book- everyone should have a space that they can enjoy the time spent outdoors with family and friends. A garden that welcomes family and friends to stay, play, and gather will foster connection and joy. When we’re designing a gathering garden, we are thinking of several things.
How many people will be using the space regularly? If you entertain, how many people do you typically have over? These help us determine how large the main used space will need to be in comparison to the secondary uses and spaces. It doesn’t matter whether you have a 200 square foot backyard or a full acre of land, a gathering garden can be created at any scale. The main space of the garden will help inform the remaining elements of the design.
What does your family enjoy doing together: games, relaxing, swimming, sports, cooking, etc? While the size of the space is important, it’s equally important to know how the space is going to be used on a day-to-day basis and for holidays, parties, celebrations, etc. If you have a very active family, maybe a sport court or recreation area is a higher priority than a dedicated fire pit patio. If you want the space to be a retreat from busy everyday life, having areas for lounging, catching up, or enjoying a meal together might be more what you’re looking for. This question also helps us to know how the secondary spaces should be designed together with the main gathering space. Secondary spaces are often things that may only be used in one or 2 seasons instead of year-round but are still key components to how a family uses their outdoor living space. The bottom line is that everyone should be able to comfortably enjoy the space no matter the time of day or time of year.
Do you have a style preference? Do you like clean & modern or something more whimsical & cottage garden-esque? Maybe you love gardens from a specific area of the world. Knowing your style and how your home is styled informs what types of shapes and forms we use in your design. This also helps us determine what types of materials will work in your space and match your aesthetic preferences (natural stone vs. man-made options).
Elements of a Gathering Garden
While any elements can go anywhere in a gathering garden and this isn’t an exhaustive list, these are typically where we see each feature being used the most.
Main Spaces
Patios & Decks – A patio or deck provides the foundation for a gathering garden. Having multiple spaces in one garden creates garden “rooms” and provides a way to separate activities if need be. This is especially nice as kids grow into teens and want their own space to hang out with their friends.
Fire Pit – Whether this is a built-in place or portable option, this is probably our most requested element to include in a garden. Who doesn’t want to gather around a warm fire at night and make s’mores?
Overhead Structure – Having a covered outdoor space can protect from rain, sun, snow etc and creates a smooth transition between the inside of your home to your outdoor space.
Dining Area – A small table with a few chairs is great for a family dinner or drinks with close friends while a large table with satellite seating areas on the same patio or deck space works well for larger gatherings or celebrations.
Outdoor Kitchen/Grill Area – For those that like cooking and entertaining, an outdoor kitchen or grill are often asked for in our designs and are easy to fit into many types and sizes of spaces due to the never-ending choices available out there.
Spa/Hot Tub- Typically small enough to fit on a patio or deck, spas and hot tubs can be used year-round, at all times of day, so these are requested often in our landscape designs. These are easily combined with a pool space.
Secondary Spaces
Pool – While this becomes a main use space in the summer, for 75% of the year a pool may not be useable depending on your climate. Designing secondary uses for the pool patio itself can extend its use into other seasons.
Edible Garden or Cutting Garden Area – Growing your own fruits and veggies can be rewarding for the whole family and carving in an area in the design just for that will make it an enjoyable experience for everyone involved. Greenhouses have also gotten more and more popular which can help extend your growing season and help with seed starting. If edible gardening isn’t your jam, many opt for cut flower gardens where they can grow various flowering plants that can be cut throughout the growing season to make arrangements for friends, family, or their own table. Kids love this too!
Play Structures – While this may be the main focus of the little one’s landscape, the grown-ups most likely don’t want it placed front and center. Another option is natural play areas that blend in with the natural surroundings.
Water Features – Whether a small bubbling rock or a splashing stream, water features are a relaxing element of any garden. Typically these are located right off of the main patio space or along a main path so they can be heard and seen from where you spend most of your time.
Tertiary Spaces
Pathways – While they may not be used to host an entire gathering, paths are how we connect all the spaces together so there is a smooth transition between each area. Paths can also serve as utility areas (trash storage, shed access, grill storage, etc), strolling areas, or meditation paths.
Rain Gardens – Not only are they functional, rain gardens can also be aesthetically pleasing. They provide a place to route downspouts and other excess water on your site to an area with plants that can handle and soak up standing water. Because we don’t want your patio or paths flooding, rain gardens are typically placed further away from these spaces.
Native Plantings – Native plants can be mixed into any planting area but they’re also great for placing throughout bordering planting areas or as a transition to a more wooded/wild areas. Combined with pollinator-friendly plantings, they’re great for attracting wildlife of all kinds.
Storage Areas – Although necessary, storage spaces like sheds, trash storage, toy storage, etc are typically located in side yards, hidden behind screens, or a far back corner. These are usually more function over form and don’t need to be located in a main space but must remain accessible.
Lighting – Not a specific space but we wanted to make sure to mention this as it’s important for gathering gardens. While we have the occasional day time event, most celebrations and gatherings happen in late afternoon through the evening. Having efficient lighting throughout a gathering garden takes you from day to night effortlessly and welcomes everyone to stay longer.
By combining these elements into one single design, a gathering garden comes to life. Gardens with spaces for all ages allow everyone to gather and enjoy the time spent outdoors together. Everyone has a space they dream of retreating to and sharing together. Designing a garden with the evolution of needs in mind can create spaces that effortlessly transition with the family. Whether you want to be the one to host all the holidays or be *the cool* house that all the kids want to hang out at, a gathering garden features spaces to gather and create memories any time of day and any time of year.
If you’ve been cooped up this winter just dreaming about a new garden and are ready to get started on your design, we would love to hear from you! You can fill out our questionnaire here.
