Putting in a patio is a great place to start for an outdoor room. But it’s just a starting place. It needs to be properly landscaped.
There is a dual mandate with patio landscaping. This space needs to have a great look, but it needs to be functional as well. Privacy, low-maintenance features, safety, and comfort are all aspects wanted in an outdoor living space. With the right landscaping touches you are able to capture these aspects while creating a great look as well.
Add Patio Plants
Without the use of accessories and plants, decks and patios seem uninviting. Plants bring a breath of life into hardscape features, inviting you to come in, sit, and relax. Incorporating plants into your patio or deck is easily done when using container gardens. Due to being portable,container-planted tropical flowers can be grown easily in summer and moved inside when winter calls in the north. Flowers are bee magnets, so word of safety of you are allergic, avoid them and use colorful foliage plants such as Joseph’s Coat or coleus.
Choosing Patio Trees for Shade
Larger plantings around your patio can create shade. But big problems can come with big plants, such as trees and large shrubs. This is why choosing the right trees for your patio landscaping is so important.
- If you’re looking for a tree that gives shade, select one that at maturity it will be intermediate height.
- Do not install trees that have systems that are aggressive.
- To reduce the amount of maintenance, select a tree that is moderately clean.
- Great options for trees that have intermediate height are Japanese maples.
Trees to avoid near septic tanks should be avoided around patios, for the same reason – their spreading root system can wreak havoc.
Now you need to think if a tree is clean or not. One tree that is the messiest is the Eastern white pines – its pitch or sap drips all over. However, Sunburst honey locust is one that is mostly mess-free.
Add Larger Plants to Your Patio for Privacy
Plants can be used to gain privacy for your outdoor space. One type if plant material to use is the arborvitae bush. These give you a little privacy. If you’re interested in greater seclusion, traditional hedges offer this. There are several options for hedges that are formal, such as privet. These hedges give a screening that is more traditional looking.
If you need help with selecting what plants to incorporate around your patio or deck, contact Architectural Landscape Design. We are a licensed MN landscape design and installation contractor.