Should I replace my lawn with raised beds?

[WannabeMathematician]

My husband and I like to garden and want to get rid of the last patch our lawn (about 25m^2) and put in raised beds. I'm trying to see if there is a reason, we shouldn't that we haven't thought of.

We care for the raised beds we have and enjoy growing our own food (so twee I
know!) and don't bother to even mow the lawn as we hate it doing it. But we do
have a young son who might want to play on that patch of grass when he's older. To counter that we live within a 15 minute walk of five playgrounds of which four
have enough space to kick a ball around with friends and three of those don't
require crossing a main road. We have a good-sized patio which we can put a BBQon and sit out there and eat.

Am
I missing something blindingly obvious which would stop these plans?

I'd have some raised beds and some grass. I have an allotment with raised beds with wooden borders but it costs a lot to keep it full of compost you could try marking out raised beds in a no dig method but leave some grass which is good for wildlife etc. None fixed raised beds won't look as in your face either. Sure your little one won't mind raised beds, he'll prob love helping you grow food

You'd be mad, with a small child. They want to be outside with a ball or other toys. You won't want to schlep down to the park all day, everyday so he can take his cars down there when you can simply leave your last bit of grass there! Your garden must be massive for that to be the last little patch of grass. Share with your child!

not to mention a paddling pool!

So we have half the garden as raised beds already. I don't think I made that clear. Sorry.

I just don't know why I'm keeping the grass. It more a feeling that I should have grass rather than wanting it.

@WagWoofWalkMeeoow But I think he has more than enough space to do that kind of thing on the patio and he has mud kitchen on the patio as well. It is a big garden I must admit! We lucked into it a bit.

Honestly with a small boy I’d keep the grass. You don’t want to be taking him out to the park constantly. If you have a play area for him at home he can just mess about in the garden while you get on with other things. You can always add raised beds when he’s older, it would be madness to do it when he’s little.

what about creating a wildflower patch? I have a section of my allotment which is just for attracting butterflies and bees.

It has lavendar bushes at the centre and I just chuck some seeds around, but mostly it looks after itself. I have an old baby bath as a ‘pond’, big enough to attract some frogs and newts.
its lovely in the summer. Full of butterflies and bees - I have a seating area next it and have never been bothered by the bees, they are too busy doing their bee thing.

Can you give us a pic of the garden? I'm struggling to visualise half a garden of patio and half of raised beds and grass.

How old is ds?

Just do it if you want to.

If you had a yard, or no garden, your child would manage - but the benefits of your garden will be great for the family. They can still play in the garden, and it is always possible to change it.

A lawn is only one approach to a garden.

DS is 3.

I just don't know why I'm keeping the grass. It more a feeling that I should have grass rather than wanting it. We've been socialised that way! But there's no rule. Your idea sounds nice.

Sorry hit post too soon. There is a not quit to scale photo of my plan. I’m trying to decide what is it about playing on grass rather than patio? I never played in our garden when I was a kid. I was off to the local playing field so I think I’m missing something.

Do you want more beds/growing space? Or just less grass? I’d get rid of the grass personally if you find it a pain.

What are you worried might happen if you convert to beds - what's the worst case? To me it is that you have to put it back.

No one needs grass in their own back garden. A square of grass is probably much less inspiring for a child than a productive veg plot. But either is fine. A child just needs to be able to get outside in a safe and interesting space.

I feel, rather than focus on the grass, is that it would look a bit boxy with more beds in there. And you need space to get round them to tend properly.

What's at the back is it a fence?

Have you got any trees?

@YoBeaches No trees but we couldn't put any in anyway as they would shade the beds we already have. The plan is also more done by area as we have a few raised beds but I couldn't be bothered to draw out each individual feature of the garden.

@olderbutwiser Both. The beds bring mejoy (and my husband) but I'm trying to balance up all our needs.

To state the obvious, grass is a lot softer to fall over on than patio.

My DD got into gymnastics and the lawn has been perfect for practising, I don’t worry so much about injuries. Wouldn’t have allowed it on a hard surface. Same with a bunch of other active toys she likes - pogo stick, skipping rope for example.

If your DS is active and likely to want to play physical games/toys I would keep some lawn. You already have raised beds.

Playing on grass is just nicer from a sensory perspective. Plus I guarantee you'll be driven mad by the sound of a ball bouncing on a hard patio etc

I'd keep the grass for ds to be honest. It is nicer to play on especially in the summer. Though you might find yourself building big houses and elf gardens and all sorts, but it will be nice for him to have softer outside space that isn't a 14 mins walk.

Someone else mentioned paddling pools. Not sure how big the area is but birthday parties, making dens, picnic lunch in the summer.

Depends if you need the space for more veg production now or not?

Get rid!!! Honestly grass is such a waste of space if you have lots of grass locally.

He will learn so much more from growing fruits, veg and flowers and all the bees, butterflies, insects and birds that will be attracted to the space.

you could even put a wildlife pond in!

it’s not like you can’t remove beds and re-turf in the future if it doesn’t work out. I love gardening and I get so much joy from seeing my daughter picking peas, tomatoes, strawberries or blueberries in the summer. She’s really adventurous and will try all the random lettuce leaves I grow (doesn’t like rocket, too spicy!) we’ve learnt about the life cycle of the butterfly (thanks cabbage white) and parasitic wasps. We played statues seeing how close the robin will come to a pile of berries we’ve left out. A fruit/veg garden can become a playground of its own I’d definitely recommend it!

@WannabeMathematician

sounds good, but personally I think grass is better for kids for kicking a ball around, teddy bear picnic, lying on reading, a paddling pool.

do you really need more raised beds while he's still a child??

Well no, but does he really need grass?

Sorry I couldn’t resist. That’s the phase my mum would use to guilt me out of having a second biscuit 😂.

We measured out today and have decided to split the difference and it turns out the patch is wider than I thought. So we’re going to put two more beds in and my son still has more grass than I said at the beginning.

Thanks all for your input!