Patio & Slope Ideas

Pergola

• The pergola is an architectural feature that dates all the way back to the Renaissance and one that can enhance any average patio. It is a structure consisting of pillars with beams connecting over the top, essentially creating the skeleton of an outdoor room. Pergolas allow space for a variety of hanging plants and as well as lighting, making the area underneath an ideal spot for a dining table. Pergolas perhaps look their most stunning when used to grow vines or ivy, which can be used to completely cover the top or to provide just a hint of green. Although many of the original, still-standing pergolas were made of stone, most found in modern backyards are of wood.

Terraced Garden

• For sloped backyards, the terraced garden is not only practical and aesthetically pleasing, it makes traversing the yard relatively easy instead of an effort. In this type of garden, the sloped backyard hill is leveled to create a series of platforms, which are also called terraces and resemble a giant set of steps. Homeowners can plant whatever fruits and vegetables they like on these leveled terraces or simply use them for a decorative flower garden. The sight of a fully functioning terrace has the power to transport the viewer to a hillside in Tuscany or other sloped areas around the Mediterranean.

Specialized Lighting

• Creating a patio that is as welcoming and relaxing at night as it is during the day will most certainly add another dimension to the yard. The first step involves the use of specialized lighting to illuminate the surrounding area without being too intense and disrupting the mood. One choice is low floodlighting, which shines from the ground up, using the reflection of trees and walls to provide soft but bright tones. Nonelectrical lighting styles include tiki torches, which provide a soft flame that not only blends well with outdoor surroundings, but also creates a truly exotic feel.

Ivy Patch

• One of the biggest hassles of maintaining a sloped backyard is keeping it mowed; left unattended, it can result in a tangled mess of tall grass and weeds. One way to avoid the mower altogether and at the same time create an interesting landscape for the sloping yard is to grow an ivy patch along the side of the hill. Depending on the location and climate, there are several choices of species, including English ivy and winter Creeper, which, though technically not ivy, is a similar low-to-the-ground vine with a thick cover of small green leaves.