Buckinghamshire Playground - £240,000

Buckinghamshire Key Stage 1 Playground and Community Gardens

The Secret Garden - Natural Sustainable Playground with Wild Flower and Sensory Areas

The design and construction of a Key Stage 1 infants playground in semi rural surroundings.

This area was a totally exposed and open field with existing deciduous areas of perimeter fencing. The emphasis is on the creation of an environmental and sustainable area where local children are able to play and learn in safe natural surroundings.

In Brief

Key Stage 1 playground in a semi-rural setting
Former exposed field redesigned as a safe, sustainable space
Planting-focused design with shade, sensory areas
Low-maintenance trees and plants throughout
Raised beds for growing herbs, fruit, vegetables, and wildflowers
Encourages outdoor learning and environmental awareness
Accessible paths for tricycles, prams, and wheelchairs
Includes play features like digging, water, music, and secret spaces
Provides seating, playhouse, storage, and garden shed
Outdoor learning pavilion integrated into the landscape

Planting in this play garden is of the highest priority and must contain shade areas, sensory areas, all year interest, minimum maintenance plants and trees to depict the changing seasons.

Quote From Head Teacher

“This garden has completely transformed a once bare and exposed space into something truly magical.

It’s a place where our children feel safe, inspired, and full of wonder—learning through nature, exploring freely, and creating memories they will carry with them for years to come.”

In order to raise children's awareness of care, understanding and enjoyment of the world around them, the whole play garden is interspersed with raised beds for the growing by the children of herbs, vegetables, fruit bushes and wild flowers.

Buckinghamshire Playground Design

More about this Design

The garden also contains an environmentally friendly activity unit, pathways for tricycles, prams and wheel chairs as well as secret areas, a dirty digging patch,water play, music play, sitting positions, a play house, storage buildings for tricycles etc. and a garden shed.

Quote From A Mum

“As a parent, it’s just wonderful to see my child so happy and engaged outdoors—exploring, getting their hands dirty, and learning about nature in such a safe and beautiful space.

It’s made a real difference to their confidence and love of being outside.”