16 Patio Landscaping Ideas

Bring in Patio Plants

Patios and decks are rather uninviting if not furnished with plants and accessories. Plants soften the uncompromising lines of hardscape features, breathing life into them and inviting you in to sit down and relax.

Although there are other ways to do it (such as patio planter pockets), the easiest way to incorporate plants into a deck or patio setting is to use container gardens. Because containers are portable, Northerners can easily grow tropical flowers in them during the summertime, then simply move them indoors when Jack Frost beckons. But you can grow almost anything in a container. The idea of using plants on your patio can even help you avoid the costly project of removing an old patio and constructing a new one, as plants are capable of hiding many an eyesore.

Regarding safety, if you're allergic to bee stings, avoid patio landscaping geared to flowers, because they're bee magnets. Stick instead to foliage plants such as those with variegated leaves.

Select the Right Tree for Your Patio Landscaping

Big plants can cause big problems. Trees are the biggest class of landscape plants, so one thing you definitely have to get right with your patio landscaping is tree selection:

• If you want a shade tree for your patio, choose a tree that will be of intermediate height at maturity.
• Avoid installing trees with aggressive root systems.
• Choose trees that are relatively clean to reduce maintenance.

Japanese maples give you good options for trees of intermediate height.

Some plants are better/worse than others for growing around septic tanks based on the nature of their root systems. These same plants are good/bad choices for patio landscaping. 

Then there's the issue of whether or not a tree is messy. Eastern white pines are one of the messiest trees: They get pine pitch all over everything. By contrast, Sunburst honey locust is relatively mess-free.

Add Some Privacy

The vast majority of people like to have at least a little privacy along their property lines. There are three ways to go here:

• Fences
• Informal hedges
• Formal hedges

Non-gardeners may prefer to erect fences to gain privacy, while gardeners often achieve it instead through the use of plant material. A row of arborvitae bushes used to help screen out unwanted attention from the neighboring house is a good example of an informal hedge.

Plant Formal Hedges

Some folks prefer a more manicured look in screening, achieved by trimming the shrubs into a rectangular shape. Thus the popularity of the formal hedge, which also gives a greater degree of privacy. Privet is a popular choice. But a number of options for formal hedges exist, including:

• Boxwood
• Holly
• Barberry

Think Vertically

When mulling over our choices for patio landscaping, sometimes it's easy to become fixated on the two-dimensional. But by including verticality in our designs, we open up a whole other dimension, making the outdoor living area much more interesting. Building an arbor adjacent to your patio is one way to inject a vertical element.

Arbors make for easier DIY projects. Gardeners will love growing flowering vines on their arbors.

Bring in Covered Pergolas

The vertical element can be introduced in a number of ways. The option with the greatest impact is the pergola. It's also the option with the highest functionality because pergolas can be covered to increase your comfort level outdoors by providing shade. Cover your pergola and you've transformed it into a room that isn't quite "inside," but neither is it any longer quite "outside."

Use Perennials to Soften Hard Patio Lines

Hardscape structures such as patios bristle with harsh edges, and landscaping with plants is one of the best ways to provide a softening touch. Among the smaller plants, perennials are the most popular choice for this job. Deploying a mix of mainly long-blooming perennials and small shrubs, you can have something in bloom for most of the growing season.

Don't Forget About Annuals

Don't be hesitant to spice up your patio landscaping with annuals. These plants may be short-lived, but they provide a potent injection of instant color.

Sure, the gardening snobs may look down on annuals such as impatiens as being strictly for amateurs. But these are the same people who pontificate about how some plants are "overused," how some plants have colors too garish to use, etc. Always remember: this is your outdoor space to enjoy. You should be making your own aesthetic decisions since you know your own tastes better than the know-it-alls do.

Consider a Pool

One aspect of patio functionality is comfort, and that's where pools come into play. There's nothing like sunning yourself on the patio and then jumping into a swimming pool to cool off. You'll have to decide, though, if this luxury is worth the extra maintenance involved with pools. Moreover, there's a safety issue here if you have small children.

In-ground swimming pools are also expensive, as are a couple of other patio features popular with the well-to-do:

• Outdoor kitchens
• Outdoor fireplaces

Relax With Small Decorative Water Features

More manageable for the water-craving masses are small decorative water features. You can't swim in them, but the gurgling sound made by their waters is ever so relaxing.

Choices for fountains include:

• Ceramic fountains
• Granite fountains
• Clay pot fountains

Add Pops of Color

If you really want to get fancy, you can do some color coordinating between your patio and your plants. For example, Blue Star juniper would bring out the blue in some bluestone pavers or even flagstone. For a smaller plant, try blue fescue grass.

Conversely, plant selections that might go well with a brick patio (depending on the color of the bricks in question) include:

• Castor bean (which is a poisonous plant, so keep safety in mind)
• Chocolate Drop sedum
• A dark-leaved ninebark

Create a Plant Border for Ambiance

Creating a border of plants around your patio can add beauty and an ambiance to the space. They are relaxing to look at and enjoy. You can fill it with whatever plants work best in your area, including lavender, rose bushes, other flowers, or shrubs. Just make sure that you are not giving yourself a lot of extra maintenance when putting these plants in unless you like to putter around in the yard a lot. To help determine the type of edging plants that will work best for your patio border, some questions to ask yourself include how tall the plant is going to get, if it needs full sun or shade, what colors you like, and the type of soil required for it to grow best. 

Decorate With a Vertical Garden

If you have an outside wall located in your patio area, a vertical garden is a fantastic way to dress up the area. You can make the garden both gorgeous and functional by planting herbs that you can use in your cooking, including rosemary, basil, and thyme. For a more decorative approach, plant some small ferns, or philodendrons, for trailing type plants, or plant some succulents for limited watering maintenance. Check first on what plants will work best depending on your hardiness zone. The vertical wall planter should be sturdy, with a flat back, so it can hang on the wall properly. 

Take Care of Your Lawn

Looking out into your backyard from your patio, the lushness of a bright, thick, and green lawn is necessary. It's not only pleasing to the eye but keeps the dirt down on your patio, too. The right amount of water, weed, pest control, and mowing to the proper height will help achieve and keep a lawn that you not only want to look at but walk in, too.

Add a Beautiful Element with Rocks

Edging your flower beds with a rock border or putting rocks or boulders into them adds character and depth to the landscaping around your patio. Not only are they low maintenance, but they provide a visual element, too. Scatter some boulders amongst your plants and shrubbery and use smaller rocks as the ground cover instead of mulch. Large stepping stones extending out from your patio as a walkway to your yard are another way to create a beautiful area of focus. From relaxing Zen gardens to colorful succulent gardens, there are numerous ways that rocks can highlight and add interest to your backyard and patio area. Let your imagination run wild!  

Unwind in the Comfort of Your Patio

Your outdoor patio should be functional, beautiful, relaxing, and inviting. Having the proper outdoor seating and ambiance will have you, your family, and guests gravitating toward this charming space. From wicker furniture to sectionals, make sure they have comfy cushions and throw some pillows on for a bright, vibrant accent. This is your little piece of paradise, so select the style of furniture that makes it yours. It will be a place you will retreat to for drinking your coffee in the morning while listening to birds, reading a book on a quiet afternoon, or eating dinner while enjoying the fresh outside air.  Just know that others will want to join you too.