Landscape of Love for Autistic Children

A labor of love, designed by Henry Barlow of Rocky Mountain Concrete this backyard was a professionally planned for a healing, healthy, therapeutic environment. Here, the quality of life for families are empowered by helping parents to know they are not alone.

Parents who devote love and energy raising a child with special needs will run most of their life like a race, with no breaks. Stretched beyond expected limits they daily manage things like tantrums without having a meltdown themselves. Having a child with extra needs deals them situations that regular parents would think were impossible. Sometimes they make decisions with no right answer that pains their hearts and causes them to question everything they thought they knew.

I have never known any parents of special needs children who see themselves as the heroes they are, but they will champion their child as one. Every milestone, no matter how seemingly small to some, is a huge accomplishment, a smile, a sentence, a hug. They experience an innate depth of gratitude and awe in everyday miracles.

Having a special needs brother and now a grandmother of two special needs children this lovely space is perfect for children offering extracurricular activities, therapeutic benefits, support and time off for parents.

For vestibular sensory, swinging is a satisfying activity for not only children but adults, too.

Rocky Mountain Concrete created a concrete track around the yard to drive electric cars and give children a fun way to get around.

Looking into the costs of installing a  splash-pad, Henry thought they were a bit high in price. He concluded he could figure how to create one himself. And boy did he ever; it is not only fun but splashingly fabulous!

The arch top ShadeScape® arbor leads to the splash pad with a rock wall waterfall fountain as the backdrop. A second garden arbor covers another pathway to drive electric cars through.

Like a swing, hammocks can be comforting to children and pergolas are perfect for hanging a hammock. The pergola next to the barn features a hammock.

From the deck is the view of five ShadeScape® Kits.

The deck has a slide and a climbing wall, an upper and lower fireplace and ample room to play.

The Gabled Roof ShadeScape® Pavilion is stunning at night. Behind the fence is another playground, grow boxes for gardening, miniature horses and goats, and a beautiful, sweet, curly-haired white dog.

The beautiful view beneath the gabled two-tone roof of the pavilion. An outdoor fan is another added feature with TimberVolt® Power Posts.

Thank you, Rocky Mountain Concrete for letting us be part of creating this space for such a wonderful and fulfilling purpose. God bless every child with special needs, their parents, and smile especially upon all those remarkable people like the Whatcotts, who out of love choose to run the race with them.