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In addition to the lawn, have you ever thought of setting up a patio in your garden, as if it were an outdoor living room? Whether it’s in the midst of a lush oasis or in a minimal courtyard, whether it’s with a floating or more textured floor, the effect is usually welcoming. Clare Fostergardening editor at House & Garden, shared her top tips.
Plan the space
The first step in transforming your patio is to tidy up the existing space: throw away the old pots, useless to keep the broken containers and away all the shrubs. We must start from a blank canvas.
Outdoor furniture
Meanwhile it takes a place to sit and that is a priority A place to sit will be the top priority and it is worth investing in a good quality set that can be folded away when not in use (try the elegant Fermob range) or a rattan conversation set with two chairs and a coffee table (such as the Sighni set by wayfair.co.uk). The Aldsworth Storage Box from gardentrading.co.uk can act as a stool, or you could choose an outdoor cabinet like theOutsunny Garden Storage Unit in wood of manomano.co.uk.
Vases and containers
For tidy, minimal spaces, choose coordinating plant pots and containers in similar materials and colors. Long pots like those found on getpotted.com allow you to use the space efficiently, while if you have a roof terrace, poly-fiber drinkers like the model Saxon Trough from capital-garden.com they are light and versatile. The vase Brann from torcpots.comtall and with a narrow profile, it acts as an elegant counterpoint to the lower ones.
Smart seedlings
Don’t be shy about planting large specimens on your patio. One or two large plants can give an illusion of space – evergreens last all year round and require little maintenance. Whether it’s the mountain pine, the topped laurel or a beautiful olive tree. One of the best trees to pot is the Japanese maple and cultivar Sango-kaku it is truly beautiful, with young coral red branches and finely dissected leaves that turn golden yellow in autumn. Underplant your tree with delicate epimedium if you are in the shade, or with erigeron if it is all exposed to the sun.
Vertical accents
Make use of any space by using walls and fences. Grow vines such as Trachelospermum jasminoides which thrive in most conditions, including shade, or a Clematis montana that grow rapidly to mask boundaries. Vertical planting systems can be hung on walls to create pockets for succulents, herbs or even climbing strawberries. Try recycled plastic wall planters from wallygro.com, there are many colors. Garden shelves can be hung on the wall to display delicate flowers such as auriculae or small succulents. On budtoseed.co.uk you can find rustic wooden earpiece theaters designed for exterior walls, or try Barrington’s metal plant stand from gardentrading.co.uk.
Play with perspective
Make your patio or yard look bigger than it actually is by hanging a mirror that reflects the plants in your garden. Then try to screen a part of the garden to create a sense of mystery: surround a cozy seating area with plants grown on a trellis, or buy ready-made corten or metal screens from screenwithenvy.co.uk.
Accessories
Finally, make your patio a place where you really want to be by adding accessories such as outdoor cushions amelfi.co.ukthe umbrellas of eastlondonparasols.com or the rugs for the outodoor of gomodern.co.uk. Now you just have to sit back and enjoy it.
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Paul Massey1/6On the poolside terrace of this Gloucestershire rectory, the plantation mirrors the straight lines of the pavement and neighboring Georgian house. The table is of The Chelsea Gardener. There is a stream around the edge which is fed by a waterfall in the back or on the terrace.
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Anson Smart2/6Behind this house, in Sydney, designed by Arent & Pyke, an outdoor seating area offers stunning sea views. The decking is made of dark wood and the furniture is a mix of mid-century design by Thonet and contemporary pieces by the Paola Lenti brand.
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Andrew Montgomery3/6Garden designer Marcus Barnett’s small urban garden is used as an extension of the family home. The terrace, covered with slate, continues seamlessly from the kitchen. The terrace is surrounded by borders containing herbaceous plants and soft-textured herbs.
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Michael Sinclair4/6This courtyard in Emily Todhunter’s London home is used exclusively for an art installation by Jordi Raga. Around the sculptural fountain, the hexagonal stones of the patio are arranged in steps to create a kind of light pedestal.
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Owen Gale5/6This small London garden was designed by Piers Beeching, who used large slabs of pale stone to create a patio. The stairs have rounded edges an architectural game.
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Alex James6/6The tiny courtyard of interior designer Helen Green’s home has simple yet elegant touches: a rose trellis, a distinctive stone water pedestal, and potted plants from a variety of pots, from wooden crates to wicker baskets and pewter milk buckets. It is paved with traditional bricks and the grouting, delicately covered with moss, softens the lines.
Source: Vanity Fair
