If you are looking for some Easy Summer Garden Patio Ideas then you are in the right place. On this Summer 2018 Outdoor Blog Hop, you will find heaps of inspiration to get your garden and outdoor spaces ready for the warmer months.
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Last year I enjoyed taking part in The Great Outdoor Experience Blog Hop so much that I have decided to team up with some of the ladies again to take part in this year’s Summer 2018 Outdoor Blog Hop.
There was soooo much inspiration and I really loved seeing all the different garden designs and styles that everyone was sharing on the blog hop.
Last year, I shared the transformation of our little backyard and showed you how we turned it into a beautiful modern and functional outdoor patio area where we could sit and chill during the summer months. You can read about this and see the before and after pictures here: Small Garden Patio Makeover
This year I wanted to show you how the planting has grown a bit and share some of my ideas about how to decorate a small garden patio on a budget.
Perennials
On one side of the garden, I didn’t have to do much this year apart from tidying it up.
In one of the raised flower beds, I have a big rhododendron bush, a couple of round Buxus bushes, and an apricot tree.
Time Saving Tip
Although if you saw my Instagram feed you will have seen that I was a bit miffed that I forgot to put a sheet down to collect the leaves before clipping my Buxus bushes. Big mistake! I hate having to clear up the clippings!
So if you don’t do it already, I would really recommend that you do it from now on because it saves you LOADS of time.
To cover the ground I have various grasses and some Laucheana Armeria (the grass-like clumps with bright pink flowers).
I have also planted a clematis, that I had for mother’s day, next to the wood store but I am afraid that it’s probably not the best spot because it is too close to the conifers. But me being me planted it there anyway because I thought it would look nice there. It’s early days but I’ll let you know if it actually survives and thrives.
Bedding Plants
When it comes to choosing bedding plants I often return to my old favourites every year simply because I know as long as I keep deadheading them they will continue to bloom the whole summer long.
Last year on one side of the garden I filled the raised garden bed with red and white impatiens (in Dutch vleitig liesjes). I actually planted them in a bed that sits in the shade of a conifer hedge and I was amazingly surprised as to how well they did. The small plant plugs that I planted grew and spread out to completely cover the bed and the blooms lasted the whole summer long.
This year when I went to buy my bedding plants I couldn’t find them so I went with mixed calibrachoa (mini petunias or million bells) in purple, pink, and white.
I also added some white Sutera Cordata (snowflake or snowtopia white) and Sweet Alyssum.
I was a bit late this year and have only just planted them, so they haven’t had a chance to grow yet, but I will post another photo here once the bed has filled out a bit.
Hanging Baskets
Because our garden is totally paved with grey slabs, I like to use bright flashes of pink to brighten the place up. I have also carried this through to the hanging baskets which are filled with bright pink petunias. I really love petunias as they make a great impact and as long as you keep deadheading the fading flowers then they also keep on going right through the summer.
Garden Seating
I mentioned in last year’s blog hop about needing a new lounge set. We threw the other broken one out because it was dangerous but have still not gotten around to replacing it.
So for now, we just have the dining table set and my big black garden chair which I love. With lots of bright cushions (that I found in good old Action – a Dutch home discount store) and a spot in the shade, it is my favourite place to while away a few hours and read my book.
Garden Patio Decor Accents
I pride myself on being thrifty and like to scour the junk and thrift shops for bargain finds and add recycle or upcycle the stuff I already have.
These concrete stone look planters caught my eye straight away and I snapped them up for €3 for the pair. I love the contrast of the bright pink Fuschia flowers against the grey concrete.
I like to incorporate lots of pots and baskets to soften the hardness of the slabs and raised beds.
My garden seems to be following a bit of a romantic theme as I collect more of the rustic-looking willow hearts that I have got dotted around the place. I come across them every time I go to the Kringloop (thrift shop) and because they only cost a few cents they very often end up coming home with me.
Garden Patio Lighting
I love the garden at night when it is all lit up!
In the flower beds, I have crackled glass orb solar lights, these can change colour but I prefer the white light setting (although my other half likes the coloured lights and keeps switching them – grrr!)
On the fence, we have 3 really easy to mount solar-powered lights from Ikea.
We have a string of coloured lights again on the shed (my other half again – although I must admit they do look pretty!)
And last but not least candles – lots of them!
Now that you have had a good look around my little garden make sure that you carry on and hop over to the next blog on this Summer 2018 Blog Hop. With so many gorgeous garden patio ideas you’re in for a treat!
Click on the links below:
Summer 2018 Outdoor Blog Hop
Mommacan Semigloss Design The Project Pile JenRon Designs
A Happy Home in Holland House By The Bay Design Eclectic Twist
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Sam, everything is so pretty!!! Question… How the heck do you get your bushes so round???! Please… Give my husband some tips!! 😉
Thanks Sarah, I just kind of wing it with the round buxus bushes.
My other half is not allowed to touch them because, well how can I say it …er… he would destroy them …lol.
I use a pair of garden shears and start at the top and work my way around and down the bush. I also stand back a lot to see if it is the right shape.
I did read somewhere that you can also use a hula hoop or a piece of wire bent into a circle to use as a guide.
Very difficult to maintain gardening and stone landscape. I hire a full-time Gardner, Who take care garden area correctly. I have a question, do you cut through the fabric in those areas or do the roots get down there on their own? And then finally, you lay your mulch around? Please tell me if I understand this.
Hi Alina, yes I have a fabric layer in the flower beds and I do cut through the fabric when planting bushes and plants that have deep rooting systems. I don’t lay mulch but I do put a fresh layer of compost every year before adding my bedding plants. I just keep on top of the weeds by weeding once a week, for me this is a quick job because I only have 2 small areas. I hope this helps 🙂