Boring patio - where should I go/look at for inspiration?

[LoopyLa]

I've recently moved and our back garden has a fairly large paved patio area. Our living room looks out on it & we've got a conservatory too.

Apart from my fab swing chair and what appears to be a outside water tap covered by a wooden box (?), it's bland & boring.

If you had a blank canvas, what sites would you look at for inspiration? I'm thinking both for garden pots & planters and plants themselves too. I don't want bright colours as such, just to make it more "stylish" I guess? Any thoughts?

TIA

[zebrafinch]

look at Houzz and pinterest for some ideas , just search on the term patio or container garden. Houzz is very American but can give inspiration. I have made a palm patio using palms in containers, it's lovely when there is a breeze and the leaves sway and rustle and create moving shadows. I also have bamboo in large pots to screen and pots of scented flowers.

[CuttedUpPear]

Are any of the paving slabs able to be lifted out? If so you could take a few out to plant nice large specimen plants through.

You should remove all of the sub base/mortar from the hole and improve the soil with some compost before planting.

If the area is quite sheltered, you could plant a tree fern or a European fan palm.

[LoopyLa]

Thanks both! Some interesting ideas here

[nonicknameseemsavailable]

what about one of those chiminea thingies? some clever solar lighting can really change the impression a patio gives in the evening.

I have read that you should ensure you have plants providing height as well as depth so perhaps some climbers on trellis (painted trellis can look more interesting and you can get different sorts, I don't know the technical names but some are like regular cut strips and others are more like twigs/sticks) you could then have some low down ones - I like cutteduppear's suggestion of planting in the space of some of the paving slabs, chamomile apparently is nice in pathways, when you walk over it it releases fragrance. Lavender is nice in pots or flowerbeds. pots now can be really interesting and quite arty, I have seen some great ones around recently and they aren't hugely expensive but much more interesting than the standard terracotta ones. I think they say put pots in 3s, in different sizes to give a nice balanced display so perhaps you could do that in one corner?

[LoopyLa]

Wow, that's a great post nonicknames!! Are you a designer of some sort or landscaper?!! Thank you so much!

[nonicknameseemsavailable]

hahahahahah no, I am rubbish at gardening. I did however spend many many years in rented flats DREAMING of one day owning a garden so I have digested lots of magazines on the subject!

[lolalotta]

PINTEREST!!!!!! I warn you though, it's addictive!!!!
xxx