Plants for outdoor living
Much of the joy that comes with having an outdoor living space comes from mixing the comfort of your house and the beauty of nature. Adding a splash of color can be as easy as adding a few potted plants to your deck, or as large as framing your deck with a border of shrubbery. Container plants are versatile, easy to maintain and work well to soften the hard corners of your patio design. Mix and match these elements to create your unique outdoor garden room.
Container plants
Adding a few flowerpots to your patio can give it a warm and welcoming look. Pots are available in every size, shape, and color. The plants you use can create feelings of serenity, seasonal celebration, or just give your deck a cozy feel. Use container plants to accent the design of your outdoor spaces. If your outdoor space has a southwestern theme try using cacti in terracotta pots, or if your area is more suited to a rustic look, try wooden window boxes and galvanized buckets of herbs and vegetables. Take into consideration the growing conditions. Some plants may thrive on the shadier side of your pergola while others may flourish in the sun. Another advantage is that these plants are portable, and can be swapped out by season. A good rotation of plants can keep blooms on your deck year-round!
Aquatic Plants
You don’t need a big water feature to enjoy the beauty of aquatic plants. Many water plants do well in small containers such as whiskey barrel planters. By using compact varieties of water plants such as sacred lotus, water lilies, mosaic plants, and dwarf cattails, a potted water garden can be a soothing water feature. If your patio design already includes a water feature such as a fountain or waterfall, there are many more aquatic options available. Floating flowers such as the water hyacinth are gorgeous additions to your feature, with heavy flower production and very easy maintenance. Add some whimsy to your patio pond with fairy moss, or accent your fountain with dwarf red parrots feather.
Border shrubs
Shrubbery is one of the basic building blocks of your landscape. They may direct traffic through your yard, create smooth transitions between elements, or block unsightly views. Boxwoods are commonly used because they are drought resistant and require little maintenance. Daisy Bushes make very durable, low growing hedges that produce bright yellow daisy-like flowers in the summer. Taller shrubs such as Forsythia and Nanking Cherry provide beautiful colors through the spring and a visual block that creates a touch of privacy.
Planting in the cracks
When your hardscapes and outdoor living areas are paved with flagstones, you open yourself to a whole different opportunity of planting. Those cracks and gaps could be filled with polymeric sand, or it could be flush with small ferns, brass buttons, creeping thyme, or even rock roses. This kind of landscaping design lends to a very cozy cottage feel.
Unless you are going for the post-apocalyptic wasteland look, plants are an essential element of designing your outdoor living spaces. Adding plants to your patios, decks or water features can be done at any time, and completely change the mood of your yard. Take a walk through your local nursery, or talk to a landscaping professional if you are stumped for backyard ideas. Working in the industry every day, they can give you even more ideas that can help you transform your old dull patio room into an outdoor garden room with personality! Best of all, you add value and panache to your already existing outdoor rooms!