Planning a Garden Patio

Helpful suggestions and tips for creating a garden patio, and some of the things you need to consider before you start.

Peter Ross - October 2009

This article will help you to decide on the features you want when planning a garden patio. Whether you are constructing it yourself or having the work done by a landscaping company, the principles remain the same.

There are three main questions you need to answer before starting to think about the layout of your patio:

1. Where will it be located?
2. What materials should you use?
3. What plantings should you have?

Where will it be located?

One of the major considerations here is what the patio will be used for and when it will be used. If it is just going to be used as a relaxation area in the summer months, then it might be some distance away from the house, in a shady nook of the garden.  But if it is going to be an adjunct to the house, used for parties and entertaining, then it will be better accessed directly from one of the inside rooms.

The time of day it will generally be used is also a factor as you will want to take advantage of the sun shining from the East in the mornings but moving to the West by the evening.

What materials should you use?

The list of materials used for a patio deck is almost endless: bricks, pavers, concrete, wood, flagstones, cobblestones, ceramic tiles, terracotta, artificial boards, and even plain grass in some cases. Again, the use of the patio will be a determining factor in selecting the best material for the job. And if the area is going to get heavy traffic, or be used in inclement weather, the surface will need to be different from a patio that is only used in the dry summer weather.

A point to bear in mind if the patio is going to be used for cooking is that any gas, electricity and water connections need to be laid before the final surface goes down. It is always a good idea to put them in ducts so that they can be accessed for repair or replacement

What plantings should you have?

Patios often have hedges or walls surrounding them to give some protection from the wind, as well as to clearly define the area. If hedges are used, they should be non-toxic plants, particularly if pets or children will be using the area.

People often use container plantings on the patio itself, with flowering plants to give scent and color, and perhaps some vegetable plants as well-tomatoes are a favorite for this purpose. If the patio has an arbor or trellis, it can be used for climbing plants, or even a grape vine.

Ultimately, a planning a garden patio reflects your own personal choices and lifestyle; that is the beauty of the wide choices available-there is something that suits every budget and aesthetic sense. And a properly planned and built patio will give years of pleasure, as well as enhancing the value of your home.

Blue Ridge Landscape & Design is a professional landscaping company based in Winchester, VA. With a staff of designers, horticulturists and outside crews, they undertake all types of landscaping from design and build to commercial landscape maintenance. They also have extensive experience in all areas of residential landscaping, from small plantings for garden patios to complete outdoor kitchen design and installation.

Source: http://www.blueridgelandscape.com