The perfect patio design is different for everyone, but there are certain plants that definitely need to be featured in your space which could be dedicated to a swing chair, a large dining set for those summer BBQs or for sun loungers when the weather turns bright. Here are the five must have plants to include in your design:
Ground cover plants
No doubt your patio will be laid by a flower bed of sorts, and this is the perfect opportunity to embrace ground cover plants which are great for low maintenance gardeners as they restrict the amount of weeds that can push up through the earth and look great in large quantities. Consider Bakker Garden Co’s recommendations when it comes to ground cover plants, and choose from Sweet William for a mixed area of vibrant colour or bold wild thyme for a striking effect.
Ornamental grasses
Another low maintenance plant choice, ornamental grasses are high impact and minimal fuss. These can be popped into the ground surrounding your patio or into pots to be placed in corners for a striking effect. Blue Fescue is ideal for the modern garden and works perfectly alongside flowers in bold reds and pinks, while Mexican Feathergrass is perfect for any space and soil condition as it thrives in poor soil and dry climates. Be aware that some grasses can grow tall, so you’ll need to keep an eye on them to ensure they don’t dominate your patio area.
Shrubs
Around the edge of your patio you can go wild, planting a variety of easy to care for shrubs that flower year after year and look incredible. Shrubs are garden staples, and work great when it comes to fleshing out bedding areas and adding some structure. Fuschia (Lady’s Thumb) is an excellent example of such a shrub to include in your patio design, the hanging flowers are attractive and last from June to November – perfect for the BBQ and entertaining season.
Pest deterring plants
Garlic is great for deterring mosquitos so it might a good idea to set up a large herb garden on your patio area to keep bugs away while sitting outside in the summer. Basil, lavender, peppermint and rosemary are also apparently known to repel insects and even look pretty when they bloom with white and purple flowers. Marigolds are another flowering plant that apparently deters mosquitos from paying your garden a visit and look great around the border of a patio or in small pots dotted around the area.
Perennials
Perennials are important to include in your patio design, they ensure colour is featured in your garden all year round as they are planted and last for over two years. They’re usually easy to care for, require little to no maintenance and flower each year with no added input from the gardener. Feature these in the flower bed around the patio or in hanging baskets or pots. Aster, forget-me-not, lavender and catmint are all popular choices.