By Dan Calderwood
Tip 1: Start with a plan.
A healthy and beautiful landscape almost always starts with a plan. The best way to get your plan together is to start with a likes and dislikes portfolio. You can easily gather ideas for this portfolio from residential, commercial and public gardens. Take a digital camera around with you and snap photos of looks you like, that way your landscaper can easily duplicate them exactly, if that is what you want. Let your plan grow and evolve over a period of time, all good things take some time, so do not let a set back here and there derail your whole plan. Not every landscape works for every patio, your patio landscaping project may run into some unforeseeable problems that will likely lead to some changes in your plan, but if you have a plan that is best!
Tip 2: Use trees.
Even if you only intend to live in your home for a short period of time, having trees as part of your patio landscape is important. Trees provide a long term framework for your landscape. They provide structure, screening, shade and year round beauty, so they are a great addition, and a great place to start.
Tip 3: Focus.
Providing a focal point in your patio landscaping is important. A good landscaping design does not allow the eye to just wander haphazardly all over the place, rather it directs it. So, include flowers, vines & groundcovers in your landscaping to provide focal points and add color, which is a huge part of design. Use the versatility of flowers to your advantage in your patio landscape design; flowers can be planted in beds, in decorative containers, or a variety of other ways, the key is to use them to your advantage.
Tip 4: Think of Yourself
You want your patio landscape to be something you enjoy, not dread, so be sure to match your landscape to your lifestyle. For example, if you enjoy the outdoors, and you do not have an aversions to working in your yard, you would want to consider adding vegetable, annual or perennial flower beds. If you are not the gardening type - then add your texture and color with a few container plants or with a small area filled with annuals that are not hard to maintain.
Tip #5: Consider Climate
Basically when it comes right down to it, for the best patio landscape possible you have to know your yard's micro-climate. What is a micro-climate? Well basically every location has a distinct climate that is different from others as it is caused by the unique typography of the land, location of the buildings, proximity to water, wind patterns and other local factors. Thus, the micro-climate of your yard will be different of that of your neighbors, and you want to plant plants that will be able to live and thrive under your specific conditions; for example, keep heat sensitive plants away from south facing walls, which get intense sun. If you have an area that gets a lot of wind, find sturdier plants, like shrubbery, and avoid pansies or other flowers that might die due to the wind abuse.
Your patio landscape is up to you, so use the above five tips to make the most of what you have and get a beautiful yard.
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