BY SU SA N A PPLEG ET H U RST P H O T O S JO N JE N S E N PRODUCEDBY JA N BEH RS

T h e B e n n in k s w a n te d a p la y a re a

th a t w o u ld in c lu d e m a n y d iff e r e n t

ty p e s o f a c tiv itie s fo r C o n n o r, w h e r e

h e c o u ld d e v e lo p m u s c le to n e a n d

m o to r sk ills w ith o u t t h e s tre s s o f a

b u s y p u b lic p la y g ro u n d . T h e

B e n n in k s a s k e d a la n d s c a p e d e s ig n -

e r, M a r g a re t d e H a a s v a n D o rs s e r,

to h e lp th e m w ith p la c e m e n t o f th e

p la y a re a a n d p la n n in g t h e g a r d e n

a n d la n d s c a p e s u r r o u n d in g it.

S o m e tim e s o n e th in g ju s t le a d s to

a n o th e r —a n d s o m e tim e s , y o u e n d u p

a w in n e r. B re tt a n d T e rri B e n n in k

re fa s h io n e d t h e i r b a c k y a rd a t th e ir

P o rtla n d , O re g o n , h o m e b a s e d o n th e

n e e d to h e lp t h e i r e ld e s t c h ild . “ O u r

s o n , C o n n o r, h a s a u tis m , a n d w e p u t

u p a p la y s tr u c tu r e to h e lp h im ,”

B re tt say s. “H o w e v e r, w e fo u n d th a t

b u ild in g it h a d a d o m in o e ffe c t o n

th e e n tir e y a rd .”

FAMILY FOREVER

The whole Bennink

family—Terri, Brett,

and their sons, Carson

and Connor,

opposite

—love their made-over

backyard. A garden

shed with salvaged

siding and windows,

above,

has old-

fashioned appeal.

BETTER HOMES AND

GARDENS SEPTEMBER2008 169