Patios balance outdoor living at a nearby distance to indoor quarters. You don’t have to get in your car or travel a great distance to relax amidst the great outdoors. However, to optimize the patio experience, one must consider a number of implementations.

It’s time to take that vision of the perfect patio outside of your mind and into the exterior of your home. Here’s how to do it.

 

Colorful Sights

 As an extension to indoor design, you want the outdoor ambiance to appeal to the naked eye. Purchasing colorful plant containers, placing bold colors (that may not be found naturally) about your yard. Moreover, low-maintenance plants, like lantanas, hibiscus, and scaevola, offer showy and cascading petals and flowers.

 Plant multiple entities in one container; for example, place sweet potato vine along with petunias for a contrasting yet complementary effect. Mix sizes and shapes of containers; experts suggest using larger containers as vocal points amid patio furniture and dimensions of the house’s exterior.

Taking design a step further, consider the geographic location and time of year. For example, fiery, red flowers may go well in a sunny, spring setting. The ‘hot palette’ of colors is befitting to the time of year and heat of the sun.

 Alternate Fences

 Outdoor fences can be expensive; additionally, depending on the division of property, you may have to ‘share’ the choices of others. For example, a neighbor will erect a fence so that the aesthetic side is facing their yard, not yours. While choosing to put up a fence or not is your respective decision, planting a number of bushes and small trees can improve the sense of privacy in your patio area.

 Tree-formed versions of popular shrubs, evergreen trees, and other varieties help emulate the privacy provided by a fence, yet shrubs and small trees are much more pleasant on the eyes than fences.

 Animal Friends

 To complete the ‘feel’ of the outdoors, consider attracting additional animals to your property. Perhaps stray cats and flower-eating rabbits are not on your invite list, yet building a birdhouse to hang by the patio or hanging a hummingbird feeder as well as buying flowers that attract butterflies, add to the enjoyment of sitting outdoors.

 Butterfly bush, zinnias, pride of madeira, and verbena are known to attract butterflies; so, you can add plant and animal life to your backyard via one purchase.

 Too-Strong Scents

 Of course, plants, shrubs and flowers enhance the bouquet of smells throughout your patio area but you may want to avoid smells that are too pungent. The following have strong odors attached: privet, female ginkgo tree, stinking hellebore, photinia, carob tree.

 Free Food

Depending on the season and location, your patio area may be great for growing a variety of vegetables. Speak with local farmers and plant stores about what foods are optimal for growing in your specific area. If you’re prone to buying fresh veggies at the store, you’re used to paying high prices.

 However, you can add to the physical allure of your patio as well as feed your appetite by arranging a vegetable garden around your property. Free food puts money back in your pocket; visit online sites for additional ideas regarding an affordable patio.

 Apropos Topiary

Topiary is the ancient Greek art of trimming shrubs and plants for aesthetic and aromatic benefit. Through time, foliage adopts the definition of living sculptures that owners may modify at whim. Topiary, largely practiced up until the 1700s, fell out of vogue with aristocrats; yet, many commoners continued to modify shrubs and plants for the effect. Today, a number of gardens in Australia and all over host artful and aromatic pieces.

 Don’t settle for imagining a grander patio any longer. Devote time to minding the above sentiments and begin enjoying the fruits of your intent’s labor.

Photo Sources: 1. Penza Bailey Architects, 2. John Kraemer & Sons, 3. Sean Papich Landscape Architecture, 4. Faith Sheridan Design Group, 5. Bohemian Vintage, 6. Casa Smith Designs, 7. BHG, 8. HGTV, 9. Lankford Architecture, 10. AMS Landscape Design Studios, 11. Jeffrey Erb Landscape Design, 12. John Bentley Photographer, 13. Shapiro Didway Landscape Architects, 14. Eddie Rider Designs, 15. Enviroscape LA, 16. Atmoscaper Design, 17. Carl Balton & Associates, 18. Robertas Gardens, 19. Ziger/Snead Architects, 20. Conte and Conte Landscape Architects, 21. Earth Mama, 22. Banyon Tree Landscape Design, 23. The Labyrinth Garden, 24. Harold Leidner Landscape Architects