Completing my Master Gardener Certification spurred my creativity. I *needed* to re-do my patio gardeners, much to the dismay of the male members of my family who were roped into helping with the heavy lifting and the groundwork. I began my patio gardens in 2014 and have changed and expanded each year but this year did a total redo thanks to losing 21 rose bushes from rose rosette disease. While it’s still not quite finished, and who knows when that will be, thanks to life, I’m excited about our progress and couldn’t wait any longer to share my Patio Gardens Tour.

Patio Garden Tour

I wish I had pictures of our hideous “before” area. Picture an ugly concrete block walk surrounding the patio. The rest of the area included a behemoth air conditioning unit and a bare patch of grass where our ducks, Lucky and Sucky, lived. The wall went down first and the rest slowly followed.

I planned to redo the concrete on the patio and redo the pavers on the other gardens this year, which would eat up our budget. I knew I needed to keep costs down in other areas. I tried to save money on flowers and decor by using items I already had or found at thrift stores, along with moving some of my perennials around the garden.

Side Entrance

My flower beds inside this area were replanted this year. One side was a lovely rose garden until disease wiped out my crop, while the other side had a pond liner that never stayed in the ground. It looked like I’d plunked it down on top of the ground and managed to sink it about 2 inches downwards.

Side Gardens

I replaced the rose garden with a “Pollinator” Garden. I used easily grown favorites like lambs ear, crazy daisies, bee balm, stonecrop sedum, coreopsis, catmint, and yarrow because I knew they would spread quickly and fill in the area. I turned an old nonworking fountain into a birdbath and added a butterfly waterer. I made a light feature with some white glass globes I tucked indoor/outdoor Christmas lights inside.

The pond was moved and replaced with a “cottage garden.” I used an old door found in my inlaw’s barn and two thrifted shutters to create the cottage feel, along with another old fountain. Did I mention I have no luck with fountains? They always stop working. A small chair flower pot holder, a butterfly waterer, and a sign that says “Maymay’s garden” complete the look.

I used (almost) no-care annual plants; zinnias, and marigolds, to give the bed color while my perennials grew. I also added some classic cottage garden flowers like lavender, pinks, Lady’s Mantle, and delphiniums. To create the true cottage garden, I added useful herbs like winter savory and parsley. I rounded off my garden with plants native to my area; Spider Wort, Coreopsis, and ferns. The addition of a vine winding its way up the door creates vertical interest

Patio

After a short step onto the patio, I placed a dining table under our pergola. This area receives evening sun so I made sunscreens for the top and added curtains to the side. It doesn’t completely block the shade but it isn’t as miserable as it used to be sitting in the direct sun. I wanted a breezy, coastal look so I used various shades of light blue throughout the patio, along with gauzy white curtains and table cloths.

In one corner I added a cart and a potting bench. They double as a place to hold my gardening supplies or food for dinner, whichever I’m working on at the time. I also added two chairs and a “side table” made from a flower stand and a serving tray. This provides the extra chairs we need for a family of six when eating and adds additional space to place food or supplies.

Seating Area

The patio seating area is big enough for entertaining. I included 4 chairs, two loveseats, side tables, and a converted coffee table made from a rusted fire pit. It was a simple DIY made by removing the insides and placing tiles over the top. Once again, I painted all the pillows a light blue, the furniture smokey beige or blue, and added accessories in hammered silver.

I needed a low-growing plant between my fence and the patio to take up space and prevent weed. I planted different varieties of sedum and Creeping Jenny because they stay green year-round and require no care except the occasional weeding.

The wooden cooler against the wall can be used as both a cooler and a handy storage bin for my tools, depending on which activity we’re doing at the time. To cut down on the cleaning factor-I’m always sweeping that patio!- I replaced the outdoor rugs with 4 painted concrete rugs. They were a pain to make but I love how easy they are to care for, unlike the outdoor rugs.

I’m debating on whether to paint the fence surrounding the patio gardens white to give it a cottage garden feel or leaving it as is for a rustic look. Which one would you prefer?

Patio Garden

Right beside the patio we had a small open area (once separated by the concrete wall) that held an old grill and Monkey grass. We weren’t sure if we could remove the grill pole without starting a gas leak. To combat having a rusted pole in our yard, I painted the pole, painted a Bundt pan to resemble a toadstool, and attached it to the top of the pole. I liked the look so much that I made several more “toadstools” for the bed.

I planted low-maintenance herbs in this area. Not only do they smell good, I rarely have to do anything to this bed during the summer except avoid snakes. My top picks for this area were horseradish, mint, lavender, lemon balm, and bee balm.

A Couple of Facts About The Garden:

My planting zone is 7b. I try to use as many native perennial plants as possible because they are already adapted to our climate and, once established, return year after year and require little care. If you’d like to read more about low-growing ground covers to use in your garden, here are the ones I use.

Keeping everything in the same shades throughout the garden helped make it cohesive and cozy.

If you are interested in how I made some of the decor used in our gardens, check out my posts on Easy Upcycled Garden Decor, How to Spray Paint Patio Pillows, and Patio Makeover Ideas.

I hope you’ve enjoyed the tour of part of our gardens. Stay tuned for the other half of the tour, coming soon.