Making a patio cosy with big green plants

[Capitulatingpanda]

Any suggestions for potted plants to start making a cosy patio area where you feel surrounded by greenery, ideally year round. On a fairly small budget so maybe some things I could buy small that would grow big.

Rosemary grows well in a pot, is evergreen, has pretty flowers in spring, smells lovely and is cheap as chips, plus you can use it for cooking. Thyme and sage would work well too, though won't grow as big.

If you take a twig from an ash tree and root it on water it will grow into a potted tree quickly, you just trim to size.

Lavender.

Look for olive or maple trees in Morrisons or Asda.

You need different heights. Any room for a climber on a fence?

Ash tree not a good idea at the moment because of ash dieback.

Which direction does the patio face? Is it sheltered or exposed?

Fatsia Japonica. Lush greenery all year round and fast growing. Likes some shade, goes pale in bright sunlight.

That's exactly what I was thinking, hence asking whether south/ north facing!

Bamboo can work well in pots, grows tall quickly and swishes nice & gently in the wind to give a relaxing feel.

Agree with bamboo and fatsia japonica. Both grow quite quickly.

I've got a pieris in a pot on my patio - it's not tall (though might get bigger if I got it a bigger pot) but it's got lovely colours at various times of year. And of course, being in a pot it can have the ericacious compost/soil it needs.

I've also got an accidental self sown eucalyptus in a pot. It was getting a bit leggy and topheavy so I cut it back, it's bushing out a bit and I like the effect.

Definitely herbs, don't forget bay as well.

Also I'd include a sweet box, for its lovely smell in winter.