Dressing your patio
There are many simple and easy ways to transform your garden patio from dull and boring to a thing of beauty. Simply dress the patio with summery flowers that boast colour and architectural elegance in containers, hanging baskets and in the surrounding flowerbeds.
Bedding Plants
Incorporating bedding plants around your patio can give your garden an extra dimension, height and structure. There is a wide selection of bedding plants available all giving something a bit different from the colour of the flower and leaf to the height and width of the bloom. To ensure your garden is always looking its best try plants such as, Actaea simplex ‘Brunette’ or Rhododendron yakushimanum ‘Fantastica’.
To highlight the flowers you have planted in the bed use low-lying structures such as brick or wooden fences. Raised beds are also ideal for dressing your patio, along with pots and containers and hanging baskets which are all referred to below.
Growing in pots and containers have become increasingly popular within the last ten years and it is not surprising why. They are easy to maintain, the amount of plants available for pot and container gardening has increased, they can be moved, make excellent statements in the garden. The list goes on.
However, there are several points to bear in mind when it comes to planting containers and pots successfully;
- Less is more. Just having a few plants in the container can make the same impact has having several.
- Growth can be stunted if there are too many plants in one container or pot, preventing them from growing to their maximum potential.
- Make sure there is enough drainage for your plants in the containers. With terra cotta pots line it with plastic first before putting in multi-purpose compost and water-retentive gel crystals.
- As most compost found today generates only around 4-6 weeks’ worth of food, it maybe an idea to add a long term fertiliser to your compost. Or, alternatively start adding a liquid feed from the fourth week after planting out.
- Water is extremely important, most containers, depending on how many plants you have in the container and how big it is, may need to be watered twice a day and to be kept out of the direct sunlight.
Hanging baskets
Hanging baskets always look great in the spring and summer seasons and can be a fantastic feature to give your garden more height. However, what most people tend to forget when creating their baskets is what flowers are best suited and getting the choice of flowers correct can generate the best effect. Here are a few pointers to bare in mind next time you are picking plants for your hanging baskets;
- Keep in mind the position the basket is going to be hanging, as some plants are best suited south facing and in a shaded area.
- Take care when choosing plants in front of pale or dark backdrops. You need to choose the plants accordingly to the colour of the backdrop.
- Bear in mind how the chosen plant grows, if it grows long it may reduce the time frame in which you can hang your baskets. You don’t want the hanging basket to look good for only 3 months of the year!
- Ensure the fixtures on the wall are strong enough to hold a good weight and make sure they are not put up too high as you will need to reach them to maintain and water them.
Take a look at our fantastic blog you will be sure to find some great tips for your hanging baskets. If you are not sure what plants are best to be planting at this time, do not fret. We have a monthly guide of all the plants that will be blooming marvellous in your garden at this time of year and they can be found within the Garden Library.