A patio using the right products and accessories can make a backyard appealing, add value to a home and provide a place of relaxation with minimal maintenance.

Plan your outdoor patio
A homeowner with any size yard can plan a patio, budget for the right products and have a sense of accomplishment when the planning is done properly.

Ask what you want to accomplish with your patio:

• Is it a place to escape from the noise of everyday life?
• Do you want to entertain often or rarely?
• Do you have small children and do you want a place to relax while able to keep an eye on them?
• What storage needs do you have in your backyard and near the patio?
• How important are plants – whether decorative or fruit bearing such as blueberries?

Once you answer the questions and give yourself time to dream now think of the practical needs associated with a patio. This hub won’t address all the options available in patio stones but will instead focus more on accessories and products to enhance the outdoor scene.

Consider a gazebo for your patio unless it is under shade trees that don’t shed leaves and bark. Our Chinese elm tree offers great shade but it’s a messy tree. I sweep the patio constantly. A gazebo or some other covering could keep the patio cleaner.

A large patio umbrella, or two, will be helpful to combat summer sun or warm autumn sun and the annoying angle of rays. Make sure you purchase a patio umbrella that tilts easily.
Patio furniture can be mixed such as a few benches, a few individual chairs and perhaps a swing that is self supporting.

Potted plants add depth to a patio. Even a small patio in a small backyard can benefit from plants and allow for an enclosed feel. Potted plants can be fruit-bearing and for some, such as a blueberry busy, a potted plant may be best for purposes of controlling the soil.
Fountains can add a nice soothing sound to a patio. The kind I find attractive are more cylindrical and “overflow” at the top. They look more like a tall plant pot than an actual fountain.

Sheds keep a gardening area organized and may not take much space. For patios with busy families, a shed can serve as a demarcation between a patio and the rest of the yard. Or, it may fit naturally against a fence and cut down slightly on noise from a neighbor’s yard.
Fire pits are popular. Small fire pits can give off a nice glow and warmth to make an outdoor area usable even as cold weather approaches.

Spas are an investment but they may encourage greater use of a backyard and give appeal. Small spas, such as the new iSpa from CalSpas, can make for a more economical addition to a backyard patio.

Let your patio be planned as an area for quiet times and fun times.