Top Tips to Update your Patio for Spring

With longer days and the promise of better weather comes the desire to enjoy your outdoor space. While some people will be busy mowing extensive lawns, those with patio areas can create a haven of peace and calm that will look stunning and require minimal maintenance, allowing them more time to relax and soak in the ambience.

The first step is to clean and furnish the space. Perhaps you want sun loungers for the ultimate chill factor, or if you plan to entertain, a table and chairs or a bench-style picnic table may be more appropriate. When choosing between aluminium or wood, balance aesthetics against comfort and practicality to ensure that you will remain delighted with your selection all summer long.

Brighten up your space with colourful plants. Choose colourful wall mounted pots to maximise floor space, or if your patio allows, ladder style planters enable you to display a huge selection of blooms. Unless you are keen to spend your summer repotting and replacing short-lived plants, choose hardy blooms that will last the summer, such as geraniums, sweetpeas and roses.

Keen cooks may enjoy planting herbs, fruits and vegetables in tall pots or hanging baskets, allowing them to demonstrate their green fingered skills whilst replenishing their ingredients stocks from their own backyard. Mint and rosemary are tremendously easy to grow and, as an added bonus, smell delightful.

To make your patio as usable as possible, consider what lighting you will need to maximise the space. You may elect to install wall mounted sconce lights, or if you have the space to install corner beams to act as support struts, strings of fairy lights provide a delightful effect.

If you are planning a house move, a minimalist effect will allow prospective buyers to imagine themselves in the space and reduce the amount of equipment that you will need to pack, store or take to your next home.