Backyard Patio Landscaping Design
A backyard patio landscaping design should have a combination of both plants and lawn along the patio.
Plants provide interest, while lawn provides a soothing break along with additional access to the yard.
An attractive backyard patio landscaping design should have groups of plants of the same variety. Most should not be too tall, although adding height differences makes for a nicer design.
Plants with various textures and color features also are desirable.
I almost always add at least one interesting tree for height. This can be a lovely shade tree which will have exciting fall color. It can also be a flowering ornamental tree. I have also used trees with interesting year round bark, such as a White Birch or River Birch.
Depending on your sun conditions, some of the following plants work well at a patio:
- Boxwood 'Green Velvet' - evergreen.
- Red Barberry - red foliage
- Blue Mist Spirea - pretty mid to late summer blue flowers.
- Butterfly Bush - attracts butterflies!
- Inkberry Holly - evergreen and will take shade.
- 'Endless Summer' Hydrangea - blooms on both old and new growth.
- Fountain Grass - perennial with interesting form and late summer plumes.
If possible, landscape part of your property so that while sitting on the patio you have either a nice view or an interesting focal point to look at.
Views may be as simple as looking through open lawn to an attractive rear planting. A view may be a "borrowed view", where you are looking into an pretty area beyond your own property, such as mountains, a hillside, or a far off lake.
Focal points might be a nice bench, a water feature, a sculpture, or a pretty flower garden.
Your patio might extend right up to the house, or you might consider a planting bed to soften where the patio meets the house. This depends on the space that you have. You may not want to give up area to plants and prefer to have all patio. In either case make sure the patio is pitched correctly for
drainage.
Most likely there will be a walkway leading to and from the patio.
Wider widths are nice and the walk can have a few planting beds along its sides.
If your patio is in a hot, sunny area, you will want some shade. Here are a few ideas as to how to create shade:
- Plant one or a group of three shade trees. Try to purchase them as large as you can afford.
- Include a pergola over your patio. The lattice on top should be fairly tight to keep out most of the sun's rays.
- Purchase a market umbrella. Actually any kind of umbrella will do, but I am partial to market umbrellas.
- Install an awning on your house. There are those that are electric and are very convenient.
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