| Retreat to a garden and patio design that's beautiful | | | | evergreen plants.Garden structures such as these |
| year-round, and takes minimum fuss. What makes | | | | create forms and lines, giving your garden and patio |
| this possible? Carefree plants with continuous blooms, | | | | design definition and dimension. Plus, in the winter |
| and a well-planned garden structure.You don't need | | | | when most plants are empty and bare, your garden |
| to be a lawn and garden expert or landscape | | | | will preserve its shape and sense of completeness. |
| designer to do this. Here are a few tips for creating a | | | | It's amazing how just one or two structures can |
| super yet simple garden and patio design that will be | | | | produce this satisfying effect.Most garden and |
| a knockout!The first step is to take a birds-eye view | | | | landscaping structures are built to withstand the |
| of your garden and patio area. Make a rough sketch | | | | elements. Treated pine, cedar and teak garden |
| of your space, and play around with a few designs | | | | furniture, trellises, arbors, and decorative fencing are |
| until you like what you see. As you're doing this, get | | | | great choices. Stone, copper, and bronze garden |
| some great ideas from existing garden and patio | | | | statuary will never let you down. Garden fountains |
| decorations. Pay a visit to other people's gardens, or | | | | bring incredible beauty and atmosphere to any garden |
| public gardens. Look through home landscaping and | | | | and patio design - in fact, entire gardens have been |
| gardening magazines, find what you like, and develop | | | | built around them.Next, choose annual spring flowers |
| plans of your own.Decide what style or theme is | | | | and perennial plants that will give you blooms from |
| right for you... formal, casual, rustic, Southwestern, | | | | one season to the next. For instance, select carefree |
| Japanese... there are enormous possibilities. Then stay | | | | roses that need no pruning or spraying, and bloom |
| with that style and theme so the overall effect does | | | | continuously from spring through fall. Fill planters with |
| not become confusing. For instance, you wouldn't | | | | beautiful blooming flowers such as Oriental lilies or |
| want to combine bronze garden sculptures of saints | | | | verbena for different colors all summer long. Establish |
| or cherubs with rustic wooden wagon wheels.Imagine | | | | flower beds in corners or along walk ways. Always |
| what your patio area will most often be used for. | | | | consider your local climate and plant according to the |
| You may plan to entertain lots of outdoor dinner | | | | sun and shade needs of your plants.As you plan your |
| guests. If so, be sure your patio space has plenty of | | | | garden and patio design, create paths or walk ways |
| room for the largest number of people right from the | | | | that lead from one area to the next. Rambling garden |
| beginning. Your patio may be more of a private, | | | | paths are relaxing and charming... and if laid out |
| reflective retreat for enjoying the sun, reading a | | | | thoughtfully, will be a big help to you as the gardener. |
| book, or gazing up at the stars. Determine the use of | | | | Paths can be of stone, brick, flagstone, gravel, or |
| shade, open sun, or even covering it with a roof.Now | | | | mown turf, although grass paths require more |
| take your favorite ideas and put them into your | | | | upkeep. Garden sculptures or sitting benches |
| rough plans - and soon you'll have a design that is | | | | thoughtfully placed along the way provide wonderful |
| ready for action.The next step is to create your | | | | expression.If you want garden and patio designs that |
| garden and patio design to scale - you can use | | | | are pre-drawn, there are ready-made plans available |
| landscaping software for this, or do it by hand. | | | | in books and magazines. This is another fine way to |
| Choose the flowers you intend to plant, noting how | | | | get off to a solid start. Use pre-made garden plans |
| many you will need for each month of your growing | | | | from start to finish, or incorporate parts of them |
| season, and select the landscaping structures that will | | | | right into you own creative plans.Copyright 2006 |
| give your design its form.Some say the secret to a | | | | Robert MosseRobert Mosse is a gardening and lawn |
| beautiful garden and patio design is having a good | | | | care specialist and author of the "Easy" Lawn and |
| amount of hard structure. This is what landscape | | | | Gardening Book Series. Visit Robert at Lawn And |
| designers refer to as "good bones" - walls, fences, | | | | Gardening Tips for great gardening info... and get the |
| garden bridges, gates, garden arbors, landscape | | | | free Guide for 101 Gardening Tips. |
| statues, garden fountains ... even a strong line of | | | | |