Relaxing Outdoor Patios

"Design Doctors" Kit Thayer and Kay Schulz offer tips on making your patio area more comfortable.

• Decide how the patio will function for the family, and plan the space to allow for the maximum number of people and activities. A comfortable seating arrangement is necessary in order to convey an inviting atmosphere.

• Add the eating area by using a functional-sized table or two and comfortable chairs. Now add a colorful tablecloth and special table settings.

• Add a little bit of color. Paint the door, add flower boxes below windows or use shutters to frame the windows. Be daring with color and remember that it can easily be changed or repainted seasonally.

• Check the lighting on the patio for evening reading or entertaining. Strings of lights in trees, wrapped around the railing or under an umbrella will look terrific at night. Tiki torches and hurricane lamps also add ambiance to an outdoor setting.

• Candles are a good choice on the patio. Fat, skinny, tall, round or even square candles can be tied together with raffia or set on a bed of stones.

• Use a lot of plants in decorative or unique containers for added color. Consider adding a bookcase or baker’s rack to hold interesting outdoor things as well as to add height.

• Add some sound to the patio. Bring out speakers from the stereo or a small radio. Even just hanging wind chimes or a bird feeder will add pleasure to the patio.

Source: hgtv.com

Garden Party Tips

You've worked hard all spring to create a fabulous garden. Now is the time to show it off. Master gardener Paul James shares ideas for a great garden party. He says you'll need at least two days to prepare your garden and landscape, so set that time aside in the planning stages of the party.

48 Hours Before the Party:

Get your landscape ready. Mow the lawn, trim and tidy up the place. Fluff the mulch in your beds or spread some new mulch here and there. It's one of the least expensive and easiest ways to enhance the look of your landscape and your guests will almost surely notice.

Deep soak the entire landscape. This will help the plants look their very best the day of the party and you won't have to worry about guests getting their feet muddy and possibly tracking mud into your house after they tour the landscape.

Empty garden carts, watering cans, potted-plant saucers and any other containers that hold water. Eliminating standing water will cut down on mosquitoes.

24 Hours Before:

Shop for food and beverages and get as much work in the kitchen done as possible. Toward the end of the day, get the party area nice and clean. If your party will be on the patio, position potted plants where you want them and check your cooking equipment to make sure it's in good working order. Make sure that you've got plenty of charcoal or propane on hand if you'll be grilling.

Make sure you've got plenty of seating for your guests and don't limit placement to the patio area. Guests may want to stroll around your property so place benches or chairs at garden spots that provide the best views. Also, place plenty of trash receptacles on and around the patio to keep clutter (and cleanup) to a minimum.

Consider stringing some lights or placing candles here and there to create a special ambiance.

The Day of the Party:

If you live in an area where bugs (especially flies and mosquitoes) can ruin a party, there are many effective ways to deal with them. Citronella candles or torches filled with citronella oil work great. Giant incense sticks with pleasant, pest-deterring scents are also effective. Consider using giant incense coils that burn for hours or days. They look great when suspended from a tree limb.

Use a fan to keep bugs away; flies and mosquitoes don't like windy conditions and it's also a nice way to keep your guests cool. You can also fire up an outdoor chimney or chimenea to keep bugs at away.

Three Hours Before:

Gather some of your favorite cut flowers and create one or more large floral arrangements or several small ones. When cutting garden flowers, place them in a bucket filled with water immediately after cutting to keep them looking fresh as long as possible.

One Hour Before:

Lightly water the areas guests will see as they arrive; it's a fabulous way to make your garden beds look more inviting. Also, hose down paved areas to cool them down a bit and reduce the glare.

Finally, it's time to ice the beverages and fire up the grill. For a garden party, the perfect ice chest is a wheelbarrow; fill it with ice and add your favorite canned or bottled beverages.

Source: hgtv.com

The great thing about pavers is that they are so versatile. Almost any shape can be created allowing you to design a patio that is truly unique to your needs. Niche areas for dining, relaxing, entertaining, conversation, sun bathing and shade can be made available all in the same patio.

Multiple functional areas can be delineated by color, borders, bump-outs, walls, and added fire pits, pergolas and flower boxes. Plus, pavers are low-maintenance and retain their beautiful appearance year after year.