If you have a poured concrete patio that seems to “float” in your yard there are many good ways to anchor it to the surrounding landscape. Potted plants are decorative and mobile, lending themselves to quick changes to show off a particularly handsome bloom or hide a former beauty’s faded splendor.
Formal beds along the edge of the patio need to be as all seasonal as possible to frame a patio from spring to fall. Evergreen hedges may be planted and trimmed to form an inviting green gate leading out to the yard beyond the patio.
A permanent patio enclosure that serves two purposes may be constructed of brick. One side may be left hollow in the middle and filled with good soil to serve as a planter. The other side may be covered with gay waterproof cushions to provide extra seating.
Decorate with Plants
Instant fall color is at hand if you have mums, hardy asters, or petunias growing somewhere in your yard. All of these are easy to transplant while they are in full bloom if you dig under them and take a generous clump of the earth with the roots. Place in a roomy pot with plenty of drainage in the bottom; be generous with the water.
These plants scarcely seem to know they’ve been moved and will go right ahead producing colorful blooms. Weekly applications of soluble fertilizer (15-5-5 or 23-21-17, for example) help keep the show brilliant until winter.
Paper tablecloths and napkins are prettier than ever, but if you use a paper tablecloth outdoors, tape it down along all the inside edges of the table.
Finger bowls are back and are especially welcome after barbecue ribs or chicken. Some people prefer fingertips or guest towels slightly moistened.
Paint that comes in a spray can make it easy to brighten up flower pots, and allows you to choose a color that matches or harmonizes with the flower it contains . . . or create a color scheme for a patio party.
Amazing Herbs
It’s amazing what herbs can do to make outdoor eating and living more enjoyable. In pots and pretty containers, they decorate the terrace and patio, and with a few quick snips and a wave of the hand, they go to spice up salads for your outdoor dining, and meats from the barbecue.
Here are four easy ones you can grow in pots and tubs:
Sweet basil — Tangy addition to salads, soups, and kabobs. Start it from seeds in the spring.
Rosemary — Adds indescribable piquancy to eggs, lamb, and stews. Obtain young plants; keep them over winter in a cool bright window.
Mint—Essential for cool drinks and to garnish lamb roasts. Start with young plants; repot each spring in fresh soil.
Sage—If you think you know this familiar spice, wait until you lay a fresh leaf of it into a hamburger sandwich fresh from the charcoal. Good eating! Start with young plants; in winter set the container on a cool, sunny window sill indoors or in your garage.
44659 by Jo Ann Dods