Homeowners don’t want to sacrifice beauty or function when it comes to their backyard. When planning an outdoor patio, it’s important to include space for plants and lawn, as well as outdoor living space. Try some of these tips for creating beautiful patio gardens for your Lancaster, PA, clients.

Raised Planters

To create a spot for plants, while also giving form and structure to a patio, include raised planting beds in the design. When constructed with a durable stone wall, raised planting beds can double as seating. They can also help define outdoor rooms and serve as the foundation for perimeter screening. When filled with tall plants or trees, a raised planter helps create a natural wall for shade or privacy.

Border Beds

Accentuate the shape of a patio and create boundaries with border beds. Border beds add beauty by surrounding the patio with color and greenery. Strategically placed cutouts in a patio design allow plants to grow in contained areas, adding color and softening the hard masonry elements.

Vertical Elements

A completely flat patio lacks character. To create a patio that feels inviting, be sure to incorporate vertical features. Combine trees and bushes with low growing plants and shrubs to give a patio depth. Trees not only create shade and privacy, but also provide a canopy that makes a yard feel more natural.

Water Feature

A water feature is a must-have for a truly relaxing landscape. Fountains are one of the simplest ways to add a water feature to a patio. Available in a multitude of styles, from natural rock fountains to large urns, fountains can complement any type of landscape design.

Retaining wall waterfalls are a striking way to incorporate water in almost any patio design. Recirculated water flows from a stone wall in a smooth sheet and is captured in a basin below. A pondless waterfall operates in the same manner but provides a more natural look.

Patio ponds offer the beauty of a water garden without all the maintenance of a full-size pond. Consisting of a large water bowl and beautiful aquatic plants, patio ponds are easy to install and maintain, and bring the feel of a pond to almost any setting.

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Lighting

A good lighting plan creates a beautiful atmosphere and will allow your clients to enjoy their patio and landscape at night, as well as during the day. LED lights are energy efficient and long lasting, making them a more economical choice than traditional 12-volt lighting.

Ensure guests can find their way in the dark with path lighting and step lights. These low-level lights guide the flow of traffic and draw attention to architectural features. Highlight the beauty of a patio garden with a combination of accent and spread lighting. Include integrated hardscape lighting to keep raised planters and low walls from becoming obstacles.

Some landscape lighting systems can now be controlled via an easy-to-use smartphone app. Homeowners can have complete control of their lighting system from a mobile device.

Irrigation System

After planning a beautiful patio garden, you want to keep it looking its best. Installing an irrigation system will ensure plants are cared for without burdening the homeowner with tedious maintenance. For larger softscapes, a sprinkler system will provide the best overall water distribution. Drip irrigation systems work well for narrow border beds, inset beds, and areas with dense plantings to provide the right amount of water in a specific location.

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