How to Landscape Around a Patio

A patio in the back yard can be an extension of your indoor space, but the patio is even more enjoyable when attractively landscaped. Your patio, whether built of a concrete slab, redwood or cedar planking, or stone or brick pavers, is a natural spot for entertaining friends and business acquaintances, family get-togethers, or just some quality down time. Your patio should provide a little privacy and a sound barrier from neighbors as well. This can be achieved with beautiful patio plantings, patio shrubs, patio trees, and a patio rock or brick borders, your patio can feel like an oasis.
For preventing neighbors from hearing every word you say in your back yard patio or from watching your family’s activities on the patio, you will want to consider a hedge of trees or broad bushes. This does not need to be planted right around the perimeter of the patio, but could be along the property line between you and the neighbors. Fast growing trees such as poplar or empress will grow several feet a year, and in addition to providing a baffle for sound, will provide the patio with welcome shade on long summer evenings. Ornamental patio fruit trees are also a good choice and as a bonus enhance your view from the patio. You may want to pull back the sod in a few areas and create smooth curved patio edges which can be lined with cement curbing, stones, or left with a clean edge, and then cover the surface of the planting bed with bark or crushed rock. This makes an attractive base for your other patio plantings.
Lilacs are another great choice for sheltering your patio from curious neighbors, and provide the added bonus of fresh cut blooms you can display as a centerpiece at your next patio party. In addition to taller trees, you will want some lower patio bushes in a variety of sizes and textures to frame the patio itself. This will provide privacy without blocking your patio view of the yard, and at the same time will define the edges of the patio and give it the feeling of an outdoor patio room. Choose a few patio bushes that change with the seasons to keep the landscaping interesting. A burning bush will break out with deep green leaves in the spring and then in the fall it will turn a brilliant red. Hydrangeas grow in a broad leafed, dark green bush which produces large, cushion shaped clusters of flowers in a variety of colors.
Shorter, bushy plants placed at the base of the patio bushes, will anchor the larger bushes and add a great deal of color and texture to your patio landscaping. Make sure to choose either shade growing plants like beautiful, broad leafed hosta or fragrant lavender for patio shaded areas, or sun lovers like roses or peonies for a patio with a sunny exposure. Then choose several different patio flowers and plant them generously around the patio. You can’t beat patio geraniums for summer long patio color. Petunias are also a good bet and look beautiful in hanging baskets as well on the patio. A little research and a little effort will pay off in a big way when your patio becomes a stunning garden oasis.