Is your patio looking a little sad, uninspired or neglected? If you’d like some ideas for sprucing it up and making it an attractive and pleasant place to be, then read on…
1. Zone your patio from the rest of the garden
You’ll find that dividing the patio from the rest of the garden can make it appear like a separate garden room or intimate space. Having a distinct edge to the area creates a clear sense of space and focus.
At Forest Garden, we have a Linear Long Planter that might just do the trick. Boasting strong horizontal lines and a contemporary look, you can plant flowers for colour, or leafy plants and shrubs for texture and structure, creating a striking display. This style of planter works well as a boundary between the patio and the lawn or driveway.
Our Living Screen Planter can be used in a similar way – either to create a border between the patio and the rest of the garden, or to disguise a house wall or shed. If your patio is close to the kitchen, you could always use our planters as a place to grow herbs to add to your cooking. Why not use one of our hard-wearing and eye-catching planters to help you define your patio area?
2. Add soft furnishings to your patio seating area
You may want to give your patio a glamorous makeover by purchasing an outdoor rug. There’s a new trend in outdoor rugs made from recycled plastic and they’re absolutely beautiful! They come in all kinds of colours and designs.
And adding bright cushions and throws to your outdoor seats can add a hint of luxury as well as comfort.
Our Harvington 5ft Bench or our Harvington Love Seat look gorgeous with added cushions and accessories, helping you to create that perfect spot for relaxation. You may even want to include some bright flower pots or planters, some fairy lights and a coffee table – then your patio will make you feel like you’re on holiday all the time!
3. Upgrade your garden furniture
Choosing the right style of garden furniture to fit the space is crucial. You don’t want your patio to feel overcrowded and cluttered, so choose the items carefully. Also, decide if you want to use the patio for outdoor dining, with a table and chairs, or simply for relaxing with a coffee table and a lounger.
Forest Garden’s sleeper furniture works well with our corner and linear planters. Our Sleeper Benches are both strong and attractive – and they provide great places to have a coffee and read a book.
Alternatively, our fantastic Modular Furniture range is ideal for designing a private and cosy garden room. Each set comes with a selection of upright trellis panels, a bench, a square planter and a square seat. You can easily create a personalised, secluded and peaceful space with this versatile furniture.
4. Add a pergola to your patio
4Adding a pergola to your patio can really make it stand out. This instantly turns your outdoor space into a beautiful feature.
Depending on the size and shape of your patio, you may want to purchase our delectable Dining Pergola with its modern, striking lines. This certainly will create a talking point! The laddered side and roof panels not only make the pergola appealing, they’re perfect for growing sweet-scented climbing plants and creating shade.
If you have less space, our Slatted Corner Pergola works in a similar way to our corner planter, in that it delineates the edge of the patio, but it also allows you to train climbing plants here and create a beguiling, shady space. You may even want to add hanging plant pots to your pergola.
Our slightly more robust design of Radial Pergola works in the same way, creating intimate and attractive outdoor rooms.
5. Add a garden bar to your patio
5. If you like to entertain in your garden, a Fold Down Wall Garden Bar is the ideal solution – especially if your patio is restricted in terms of space.
No matter how small your patio is, this fold-down bar is an enjoyable idea and the perfect location for entertaining. It even fits on a balcony! This wall-mounted bar allows you to store bottles and glasses on internal shelves and it has a fold-away serving table. You’ll be amazed at its space-saving design. If you have more room add either an Apex 6×4 Garden Bar or a Pent 6×3 Garden Bar.
Whatever steps you decide to take to improve and smarten up your patio, don’t be afraid to add your own personality to the design. Make it as comfortable, usable and attractive as you can – a place where you’ll long to spend time both on your own and with friends and family. Enjoy the outdoors in comfort!
