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lpinkmountain

Can we talk patios? I need help. Long with pics.

lpinkmountain
12 years ago

Lars thread on his pergola and everyone sharing pictures of their patios inspired me to post. Also, I know there are a lot of folks on here with artistic talent and good taste and experience in yard and garden design. I could use some help. I rarely can come up with the best ideas on my own.

Slowly, (very slowly) but surely BF and I are working our way through my yard trying to fix it up. Last year I was sick all through the spring and then the summer was so hot that the whole yard was quite neglected. The back part by the garage is a jungle. Hopefully soon BF will finish my compost arbor. The next thing is trying to fix this "patio" thing I would like. I have a patio swing which I love to sit out on at night, and I have ideas for a little garden to view from the swing. I have the swing at a certain angle for maximum yard viewing, and privacy from the close-in neighbors. At first I just had the swing on grass but got tired of moving it all the time to mow. Plus we might occasionally want to use our little fire pit in front of it. So the idea is for us to install a little patio for the swing area. The problem is, what shape and what material? Ideally we would like something water permeable.

Initially we thought maybe stone or pea gravel. That would need quite a bit of maintenance, or at least that's what I thought, but I could be wrong. Also, the landscape fabric I have to put under it isn't water permeable although maybe they make something like that, I dunno. Anyone have anything like this?

Another thought was a low wood deck, but not sure if I need yet another material in my yard, from an aesthetic point of view.

Last but not least, some type of landscape brick. That's what we're leaning towards now, but really do not know what shape to make the patio. Last week BF suggested we do away with the lawn all together. So now I'm wondering if maybe a brick patio and then a small stone area in front of it. I am NOT crazy about the grey brick that I have for the other patio and path, it seems busy against the backdrop of my brick house and garage. Different colors, different textures, etc. They make a grey/red type of patio brick but it is way more expensive than the plain, which is why I didn't get it in the first place. But maybe we can afford it since we are doing it ourselves this time. But again, not sure if it is wise to mix colors and materials in this tiny space.

Here is a photo of the area, from spring where you can see the patio, and now in July with the arbor materials stacked up out there. Also a link to some of my RUDIMENTARY sketches of shapes. None of them are very good ideas, I think. Right now I have the swing sitting on these red cement pavers that I had left over from my "before" yard configuration when I bought the house.

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Current photo of yard, taken in July


Link to album with ideas for patio shapes

Patio Ideas

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