One of the great things about having a swingset in your backyard is that it provides an opportunity to get creative with your landscaping. With a little bit of planning, you can create a space that is both functional and visually appealing. Here are some tips from Cottonwood Landscapes to get you started.
Incorporate Flowers
Who doesn’t love a beautiful garden filled with colorful flowers? Adding flowers to your backyard is an easy way to spruce up the look and feel of your outdoor space, especially if you have a swing set you’d like to disguise or beautify.
If your swing set has a “crow’s nest,” consider hanging planters from the roofline or putting window boxes on the railings. It’ll bring a cohesive look to your yard when the play structure matches the other vegetation you’ve carefully cultivated in your space.
Plant Trees for Shade and Screening
Adding trees or shrubs around a swing set can be a great way to boost privacy and provide shade for outdoor playtime. The last thing you want is for little ones to be faced with a scorching slide; strategically plant trees to offer shade during the sunniest times of day to keep the swingset cool and comfortable.
While you should take safety precautions to ensure the swing doesn’t come in contact with the plants, it’s a great way to create a beautiful, secluded spot for your children to enjoy. Depending on the space available around the swingset, consider adding evergreen shrubs for year-round coverage or deciduous trees which allow more natural light during winter months. If carefully planned, your family can have an inviting sanctuary that will surely last through many generations of outdoor fun.
If it’s not practical to plant trees, either due to space or the time it will take for them to mature, you could install a trellis or sun shades instead. Use the same materials as what’s shading your deck or back patio to continue the patterns and textures you’re already welcoming into your yard.
Mulch Around the Swingset
We all know adding a layer of mulch to the garden can be a great way to keep the area looking neat and tidy. Not only does it help reduce the number of weeds that pop up, but it also can help retain water, improve the quality of soil, and even add to the overall aesthetic of your garden.
Matching mulch under and around a swing set will tie the structure into the surrounding landscaping, as well as offer a softer place for kids to land while playing. Plus, not having grass under the swingset means you won’t have to dodge slides, monkey bars, and swings in order to mow! You can choose from natural wood mulch or rubber mulch, depending on the look you’re going for in your play space.
Define the Space with Paver Stones
Adding stones or pavers around your swingset is a great way to define the area and aesthetically appealing. Not only that, but it keeps mulch, wood chips, and other play materials more contained in the area as well.
Plus, the pavers can complement others used in your yard, whether flagstone pathways, retaining walls, or a patio. Just be sure you give kids a wide berth and don’t place the stones too close to the play area.
Light It Up
You string lights around your home’s exterior for the perfect ambiance, so why not add lights to the swingset as well? Lights can beautify the space, whether you plan to let the kids play after the sun sets or not. Whether solar or not, string and pathway lights can bring the right kind of attention to your backyard swing set.
Customize It
If you can’t get the swingset of your dreams due to space or budget constraints, consider customizing one. You can paint a swingset, swap out swing chains for rope ones, and get custom add-ons. Don’t settle for glaring plastic elements when you could swap them out for wood or fabric that better fits your aesthetic. Hate the colorful plastic roof that sits atop a platform? Swap it out for a real, shingled version that you can DIY or hire out. Your swingset could feature details that mimic your own home so you don’t mind having it planted in your backyard for years to come.
If Cottonwood Landscapes can help beautify the space around your backyard swingset, get in touch with our design team today.
