A Backyard Built for Playing Games
By , This Old House magazine
Photograph: Keller and Keller
But First Do the Work
Working from a design by landscape architect Elliott Brundage, This Old House landscape contractor Roger Cook took one backyard, overgrown with bittersweet and poison ivy, and turned it into a sports lovers' heaven, squeezing in a croquet lawn, a horseshoe pit, and a bocce court. The low-maintenance play zones are close to the house and pool, where they offer options for entertainment after a morning swim or before a barbeque feast. Together, they provide the perfect enticement for fun-seekers. As Roger puts it, "Anything that gets people outside is a reason for the whole family to spend time together."