Designing inclusive nature-based play environments

Davies White Ltd is an award-winning chartered landscape architecture practice creating playful, biodiverse, sustainable landscapes and gardens. Led by Directors Andree Davies and Adam White their designs connect children with nature through inclusive, imaginative spaces that celebrate natural play. With a focus on community engagement, ecology, and long-term stewardship, they transform outdoor environments into vibrant, engaging places for all ages and abilities.

Notable projects include the RHS Back to Nature Garden, co-designed with HRH The Princess of Wales; launching the Sir David Attenborough inspired Get Set Global Challenge and the Caudwell Children’s Wild Garden at the International Centre for Childhood Disability in Staffordshire.

They are co-authors of Nature Play: The Maintenance Guide and have been invited keynote speakers at events in Norway, France, Germany, Singapore, Japan, and all across the UK, sharing how a nature-based design and engagement approach can improve health, happiness, and creativity. As they celebrate 20 years of practice in 2025, they are currently writing their first book: Playful Planting – Creating Nature’s Playground.

During their workshop they will share their approach to designing inclusive, nature-based play environments for children with SEND. Drawing on award-winning case study projects and their work with clinical phycologists and other leading experts, they’ll explore how playful landscapes can support emotional regulation, sensory engagement, and learning, while also promoting biodiversity, creativity, and connection to the natural world. An interactive section of their workshop will explore playful planting focussing on craft, scent and taste.