Expanding Outdoor Spaces.  With the desire to spend more time outdoors, families want to incorporate, fireplaces, water, and lighting features.  If you’re thinking about a backyard update, you might want to visit our website, www.wlminc.biz

Concrete patios are being replaced with pavers and flagstone with a clean and repetitive linear design.  Landscape designs will be stepped up with raised beds, benches, and stairways. 

Outdoor Kitchens.  There will be continued interest for outdoor kitchens and al fresco eating areas.  This enables families to spend as much time as possible outdoors and with the use of a patio heater, outdoor dining areas can be used throughout the winter.

Front Yard Renovations.   Curb appeal has been rising as homeowners are caring more about the way their front landscaping looks.  Overgrown, outdated shrubbery and front walkways are being replaced.  Pollinator plantings are being installed.   ‘Sitting Boulders’ are being strategically placed.  Some are even removing a part of their manicured lawn, opting for hospitable spaces for gathering with neighbors.   Curb appeal matters to homeowners.   Enjoy reading The Best Front Yard Landscaping Tips.

Naturalistic Feel.  Mixing Soft and Hard Elements.  Filling the landscape with plants is great but designing the landscape with a mix of landscape elements breaks up the monotony and creates a natural look.  Stones and boulders are a great way to mix up the landscape.  Soft elements include grasses, perennials and hard elements include natural stones or pavers.  Water elements and landscape lighting can take a yard to the next level.

Native Plants.   Native plants restore and preserve biodiversity.  They tolerate the conditions of your area and stand the test of time. 

Outdoor Lighting.  With more LED and solar options available, homeowners are interested in more extensive lighting around their homes.  Why be left in the dark when daylight ends.  With the right lighting, the play of light and shadow can also give your favorite trees and shrubs an entirely new look.  See how Outdoor Lighting Makes a Big Difference.

FOR ALL OF YOUR LANDSCAPING NEEDS, TRUST WIHEBRINK LANDSCAPE MANAGEMENT

For 25 years, Wihebrink landscape Management has been working with clients to create beautiful landscapes.  We are a dependable design-build-maintain company that is knowledgeable and experienced in everything outdoors.  Along with the latest trends, we can provide services for all your other landscape needs as well.

If you have any questions about your property, or you want to schedule a consultation call 574-268-2566 or visit us at www.wlminc.biz .  We’re happy to help guide you through the process of building your next landscaping dream space!

The post Landscaping Trends to Spark Your Outdoor Living Projects in 2022 first appeared on Wihebrink Landscape Management Inc.

Outdoor living spaces are one of the top ways to invest in your property as a homeowner. Planning your outdoor space should take just as much preparation as it would to build an addition or garage. Hiring a professional landscape designer is much like hiring a building architect, they just specialize in the outdoors. You want to take the time to ensure your design will fit the specific needs of your family. Spend time now to go online and create a board on Pinterest filled with your ideas for the space. With so many options out there, creating a visual for your designer will help them zero in on exactly what you are looking for. Starting the planning process now will save you precious time when the weather breaks!

Time to Prioritize

Once you have found your inspiration and have outlined your wish list, it is time to prioritize. Every project has a budget and it is always best to prioritize your ideas and wish list thinking about your budget and prioritizing your want list. This will help you stay within your budget. It all depends on your family’s needs and will be unique to your household. It’s best to have an idea of both your wishes and budget before contacting a designer.

Outdoor Living Spaces Take Time

Communication between you and your landscape designer will take time. It is important that you both understand each other completely as well as understand the property fully. The off-season of the winter months allows your designer to be even more accessible than normal. This leaves additional time for making design modifications as necessary and time to pick out all of the materials you would like to incorporate into your design. Having the time to talk with your designer will be an advantage to find precisely what will work for your outdoor plan.

A proper and successful design is the basis of any amazing outdoor project. By taking advantage of the off-season months, you will have more time and resources to ensure your space is everything you dream of!

The post 3 Reasons Why Winter is the Perfect Time to Start Your Outdoor Planning first appeared on Wihebrink Landscape Management Inc.

Your Yard is the Biggest Room in Your Home

Outdoor living spaces are one of the top ways to invest in your property as a homeowner. Planning your outdoor space should take just as much preparation as it would to build an addition or garage. Hiring a professional landscape designer is much like hiring a building architect, they just specialize in the outdoors. You want to take the time to ensure your design will fit the specific needs of your family. Spend time now to go online and create a board on Pinterest filled with your ideas for the space. With so many options out there, creating a visual for your designer will help them zero in on exactly what you are looking for. Starting the planning process now will save you precious time when the weather breaks!

Time to Prioritize

Once you have found your inspiration and have outlined your wish list, it is time to prioritize. Every project has a budget and it is always best to prioritize your ideas and wish list thinking about your budget and prioritizing your want list. This will help you stay within your budget. It all depends on your family’s needs and will be unique to your household. It’s best to have an idea of both your wishes and budget before contacting a designer.

Outdoor Living Spaces Take Time

Communication between you and your landscape designer will take time. It is important that you both understand each other completely as well as understand the property fully. The off-season of the winter months allows your designer to be even more accessible than normal. This leaves additional time for making design modifications as necessary and time to pick out all of the materials you would like to incorporate into your design. Having the time to talk with your designer will be an advantage to find precisely what will work for your outdoor plan.

A proper and successful design is the basis of any amazing outdoor project. By taking advantage of the off-season months, you will have more time and resources to ensure your space is everything you dream of!

The post 3 Reasons Why Winter is the Perfect Time to Start Your Outdoor Planning first appeared on Wihebrink Landscape Management Inc.

Fall  

Think of fall as your preparation time to get your lawn ready for winter. Raking the leaves in your yard and making sure your soil is fertilized for winter is crucial during this time. Fall is also one of the best times of year to aerate your lawn. Start as soon as the weather starts turning cooler because, depending on where you live, you might start seeing freezing temperatures as early as October and November.  

Fall maintenance is crucial to ensuring the survival of your grass through the winter and into next spring. Forgetting to do things like removing leaves, fertilizing, and watering your lawn during the autumn months is a recipe for disaster for your yard. Luckily, well-established grass is strong and resilient so, with a little love and care, it will stay healthy through the fall and winter until it’s ready to roll in the spring.  

Winter

Winter lawn care can be challenging, especially when dealing with extended periods of snow and ice. Freezing temperatures have a detrimental effect on grass and if you didn’t complete your fall preparation, your lawn is more likely to be damaged during the tough winter months. Winter is definitely the most dangerous time to be a blade of grass in a lawn. Cold weather can have the following effects on your lawn.  

• Grass looks brown and dead during the winter.  When the frost and snow set in, your grass will turn brown and may look dead. It’s actually gone dormant, turning brown in order to conserve water and nutrients. Even if it gets covered with snow or ice, most of your grass will stay alive if you properly prepared it for winter.  
• Some grass death and desiccation.  No matter how well you prepared you are for winter, there will ultimately be some casualties. Extreme cold can cause your grass to not get enough moisture, even when it’s covered in frost and snow. This “desiccation” of your grass can cause some of it to die off, but usually not enough to be a serious problem. 
• Some continued growth by resilient grass.  Not all types of grass go into hibernation. Some “winter grasses” like ryegrass or fescue will continue to blossom and grow even through harsh winter conditions. You can even purchase winter grass seed that’s specifically designed to keep your lawn green during winter months. 
• The risk of mold damage.  A common grass disease during the winter months is snow mold. While preventative measures can be taken to greatly reduce this risk, there’s still a possibility in can develop on your lawn. However, don’t let the risk of mold prevent you from fertilizing your lawn in the winter. Go ahead and apply a winter fertilizer after the grass has stopped growing in the fall, but is still green on top and has an active root system. In many parts of the Northern U.S., this usually means sometime in mid-late November or early December.  

Spring

Spring is when you’ll finally get to see if your fall preparations paid off and your lawn survived the winter. However, patience is a virtue—especially if the winter has been particularly harsh. Don’t get carried away and try to do too much, too early in the year. As your grass recovers, you can begin to: 

1. pick up large twigs and branches that are covering your lawn.  
2. fertilize and overseed your lawn.  
3. repair any large, bare patches.  
4. stay ahead of the weeds.  

The post What Happens to Your Lawn During Cold Weather? first appeared on Wihebrink Landscape Management Inc.

All flowering plants follow the same basic steps in their life cycle. Annuals complete that cycle in one growing season, whereas perennials live on for three years or longer. But, if you begin studying the labels on your new plant or seed packet purchases, you’ll discover many twists on this basic definition. You’ll come across terms such as “hardy” and “half-hardy” annual, or tender perennial. Plus there’s a third plant category, biennials, that combines some of the characteristics of both plant types.

What is clear when comparing annuals and perennials is that neither is superior to the other. Integrating both types into your garden designs (along with shrubs and trees) gives you the best of both worlds and unlimited options in color, texture, form, and bloom time.

WHAT IS AN ANNUAL?

True annuals are plants that germinate, flower, set seed, and die all in one season. Their ultimate goal is to reproduce themselves (set seed), which is good news for gardeners because most annuals will flower like mad until their mission is accomplished. And, if you use methods such as deadheading to prevent seed formation, many annuals will amp up their flower production and continue to bloom profusely until the first frost arrives. Although you’ll need to replant most annuals the following spring to get a repeat performance, some will readily self-sow and return for an encore, such as sweet alyssum, bachelor’s button, and forget-me-nots.

Types of Annuals

Not all annuals are equal. They are typically subdivided into three groups:

• Hardy or cool-season annuals, such as forget-me-not and larkspur, thrive in the cool to moderate temperatures of early spring and fall and can tolerate exposure to light frost without being protected.
• Tender or warm-season annuals, such as marigolds and petunias, are native to tropical or subtropical climates and require heat to grow and thrive, often growing poorly during cold weather. To ensure their survival, it’s best to wait until late spring to add these plants to your garden beds or containers.
• Half-hardy annuals are most common and fall in the middle-of-the-road. They tolerate a wide range of temperatures, including periods of cooler weather near the beginning or end of the gardening season.

Why choose annuals?

• Growing annuals can be a great way to take gardening one year at a time; experiment with new plants and color schemes without making a long-term commitment.
• Annuals are perfect for temporarily filling in bare spots in established gardens or refreshing containers through the season.
• Add annuals to a vegetable garden for a splash of color, to fill in gaps when early-season crops are harvested, and attract pollinators to increase production of edible crops.
• Annuals provide nearly instant gratification, maturing faster than perennials or biennials, and often bloom from planting time until frost, and in some cases beyond.
• If you want a lot of blooms, annuals are the answer. They put all of their energy into developing flowers.

WHAT IS A PERENNIAL?

Unlike their short-lived counterparts, perennials are typically cold-hardy plants that will return again in the spring. They usually bloom for only one season each year (either spring, summer, or fall), but there are also reblooming and long-blooming perennials, such as fern-leaved bleeding heart.

When grown in favorable conditions, perennials often live a long time, but don’t assume they will last forever. Their life span is variable, and some may live for only three to five years. Perennials also vary greatly in terms of their care and maintenance. Some may need to be pruned and divided regularly to maintain their vigor and keep them tidy, while others are tough and undemanding, seeming to thrive on neglect.

Why choose perennials?

• Although perennials tend to cost more initially, they are a good long-term investment because they return year after year.
• Even perennials that don’t have a long life span can often be propagated by division* or reseeding to perpetuate their population.
• Most perennials require less water once established, which can be especially advantageous for those who garden in drought-prone areas and want to reduce their water consumption.
• Planting perennials that are native to your region offers the additional benefit of creating a welcome habitat for pollinators and local wildlife.

PLANTS THAT BREAK THE RULES

Not all flowering plants fall neatly into the categories of annual, perennial, or biennial. Here are a few that break the rules.

Tulips: Although most bulbs are considered to be perennials, tulips are often an exception. Native to Central Asia, they require cold winters and hot, dry summers to return each year. But in climates that don’t offer these conditions, they don’t rebloom reliably and are often treated as annuals.

Tender perennials: You may be surprised to discover that some of the most popular annuals may actually perform as perennials in certain regions of the country. These tender perennials, sometimes called “temperennials,” are winter hardy in warmer growing zones but not in northern gardens, where they are typically grown as annuals or even houseplants. Many succulents and tropical plants fit into this category, such as begonias, Alternanthera, elephant ears, and agave.

The post The Difference Between Annual and Perennial Plants first appeared on Wihebrink Landscape Management Inc.

Landscape lighting placement varies depending on the techniques utilized.

• Highlighting – at the base of an outdoor feature
• Silhouetting – behind the feature, towards a close wall
• Shadowing – at the base of feature towards a wall
• Washing – a few feet away at an indirect angle to a wall or shrubs
• Up-lighting – low at the base light like washing, but more direct
• Down-lighting – bright and fixed in an eave, trellis, or hardscape
• Moonlighting – soft large fixture(s) high in tree angled down
• Accenting – angled up or down with a narrow beam from a hidden position
• Path-lighting – often staggered, illuminate the entire path, especially steps and obstacles
• In-grade – installed in surface, often at the base of stone wall or hardscape for shadow
• Pool/shoreline – less than 12” submerged near steps, or above, utilizing end or spaced placement

Let’s explore each technique a little bit more.

HIGHLIGHTING

Provide shape, color, and form using this style of landscape lighting. Start by placing your spotlight(s) at the base of what you would like to feature – a garden trellis, statue, a portion of your house or water feature are a few examples. Vary the distance and angle to achieve the desired highlight effect. The closer the light is, the more precise the area highlighted. Change the colors of the bulbs for a festive or seasonal look of your home, retaining wall, fence or garden.

SILHOUETTING

Create a dramatic effect at night in your landscape with silhouette lighting. Begin by placing a spotlight behind the landscape feature, aiming it at a wall or fence behind the feature. The object will be silhouetted against a soft light background. Multiple fixtures may be necessary, depending on the amount of lighted surface area needed to effectively silhouette the landscape feature. Some of the most striking execution of silhouetting uses dense subjects like planters, well-manicured evergreen shrubs, and arbored trees with dense foliage.

SHADOWING

Washing a feature with soft light, and illuminating the background surface casts an often magical set of shadows to appear on walls or the facade of a building. Low lighting angled up creates a grand shadow bigger than the original.

Consider playing with the distances and angles, as well as incorporating plants that provide movement in the breeze, like ornamental grasses.

WASHING

Washing is a technique that is most commonly applied to walls and rows of shrubs. This technique utilizes an indirect angle of light that creates a soft, almost ambient glow.

For best results, a wide-angle flood light with low wattage is preferred over a spotlight. Experimenting with height and angle is also recommended to find the perfect light.

UP-LIGHTING

A variety of fixtures are appropriate for up-lighting depending on the subject being lit. Essentially, this is light from below that can shadow, wash or silhouette.

This technique is great for featuring objects, or creating a contrast of shadow and light for varying depths of a structure’s wall, creating a stately and majestic appearance.

DOWN-LIGHTING

Attach lighting to a tree or a structure like a wall or building and aim the light down. Depending on what the light is attached to, the results may vary. While With fixtures that are attached to a home, under the eaves, for example, tend to highlight the structure of the house.

Down-lighting creates a directly illuminated area at the base of the structure the fixture is attached to.

MOONLIGHTING

True to its name, moonlighting creates a glow similar to moonlight. Moonlighting is created by placing light fixtures high inside the foliage of a tree, angled down.

The lighting within a tree’s branches and foliage make interesting shadows on the ground, as well as a soft glow from within.

ACCENTING

Use this technique to draw attention to a featured object such as a statue. Accenting uses up-lighting or down-lighting to emphasize the object, creating a unique contrast of shadows.

One key to this technique is to utilize a narrow beam of light from a hidden fixture, keeping all of the focus on the object itself.

PATH-LIGHTING

Just because you want your paths safely navigable, doesn’t mean you can’t guide them with a sense of romance or intriguing adventure.

When placing fixtures along a walkway or path, consider risks like being kicked or struck by a mower, and be sure they are angled down to avoid glare. A variety of down-lighting techniques can be used when lighting a path.

IN-GRADE

In-grade lighting is often installed at the base of a stone wall or other hardscape feature.

These fixtures (usually well lights) are often installed flush with the surface. This technique is best applied where other fixtures might create a tripping hazard or unwanted obstacle.

POOLS, SPAS, SHORELINE, FOUNTAINS, AND PONDS

Water lighting can be installed both above and below the surface. To properly illuminate underwater stairs in a spa or pool, fixtures in that area should be no more than 12 inches below the surface.

In general, fixtures placed at either end or spaced along the side wall are the most practical location – taking into consideration coverage for curves. Moving water can be especially striking when it is illuminated from below, showcasing the movement of the water on the surface. This style of lighting should be done by a licensed professional for safety

The post Where To Place Landscape Lighting first appeared on Wihebrink Landscape Management Inc.

There are literally 101 ways of landscaping with rocks, and probably hundreds more. When many people think about landscaping they focus only on flowers, ground covers, shrubs and trees. The elements missing in this type of landscape design are stones and rocks, which provide varying heights and contours that keep the backyard landscape interesting and unique. Successfully integrating rocks into your landscape turns them into a focal point – each rock being placed to create a specific look and feel.

Additionally if you’re using natural rock, it looks like it’s part of your yard’s natural environment even if you purchased the stone elsewhere. Of course the greatest advantage of using rocks in your garden is they require no watering, trimming, or fuss.

Having rocks in your landscape changes the overall feel of your yard. Think of a Zen rock garden as one example. It’s both beautiful and relaxing, and has a practical application for individuals who enjoy moving meditations. Other ideas include using stone in combination with water features for a deep-forest atmosphere, or lava rock for a tropical paradise. The potential combinations are only limited by the space available, the budget and your imagination.

Choosing Rocks for your Landscape

Landscaping with rocks means taking a little time to educate yourself on the different types of rocks available to you. There’s a huge difference in cost and materials comparing a water feature with stone to decorative ground cover. Not all rock is the same in terms of durability.

Additionally you also have fake rock from which to choose. Fake rock is lighter and comes in custom sizes and colors. These stones offer the advantage of having hollow areas that are perfect for storing tools or hiding unappealing eyesores (like exposed piping).

Accent Landscape Boulders

Accent boulders help you build levels into your landscape without bringing in extra soil. They also give the whole landscape design a unique character that impacts the view with a little drama and interesting angles.

One of the keys to using accent boulders effectively is making them appear as if they literally grew out of that spot. Putting the bottom of the stone down about 4″-6″ achieves that effect, particularly in combination with decorative grasses nearby.

Planning and Placement of your Landscape Rocks

Use graph paper and try a couple of different plans for the landscape. Landscaping with rocks, and particularly boulders, is heavy work. You want to get the placement right on the first try. When drawing your rock design I would suggest grouping your rocks in sets of three, four, or five, in various sizes and shapes. This type of plan creates a natural appeal rather than something that seems formal and contrived.

Types of Landscape Rocks

Small to medium sized rocks have a lot of flexibility in your landscape design. Use small stones in place of mulch in combination with landscape fabric for weed control, for example. Small stones help with drainage around pools and patios, and make a textural filler around trees too.

Place medium sized stones so as to create garden pathways. Or, use them as a natural support for a top heavy plant. Medium sized stones also create rustic borders and low-lying walls with a little engineering.

Three very popular natural stones for landscaping with rocks are flagstone, schist and river rock. The flat nature of flagstone and its unique shape makes it ideal for creating patios and pathways. Smaller pieces can be attached to garden boxes or fountains for a cobbled look.

Schist comes in a wide variety of colors, which is one reason why people like using it in landscape design. Schist has long, thin rock layers that work well in small garden streams. Blueschist provides striking appeal for wallscapes. Greenschist stands out when polished to a marble finish, and Chert has stripes of black for a dramatic backdrop in ponds.

As the name implies, river rock comes from rivers and has soft, round edges. This makes it a good option for landscape designs requiring draining. Of course river rock also suits water features beautifully. Scatter a few river rocks around areas that attract butterflies to give them a soft surface for landing.

Whether you want a splash of texture and natural colors for ground covering or a full-out rock garden, landscaping with rocks is a great choice. Rocks endure the elements and truly offer one-of-a-kind uniqueness in sizes and shapes, some of which are sure to fit your plans.

Use artificial rocks to cover unattractive areas or as clever hiding holes for tools, then bring natural rocks of all sizes into the landscape to tie your theme together perfectly.

The post Landscaping with Rocks first appeared on Wihebrink Landscape Management Inc.

Recently we received a question asking if it really is necessary to winterize sprinklers, “Do I need to worry about winterizing my sprinkler system?” Great question.

Most people want to protect their sprinkler system. They know there is a significant investment and they want to protect it. By blowing out the sprinkler system with compressed air, they gain a sense of confidence that they have protected the investment. They want to ensure that the sprinklers will work properly for years to come.

The full answer

The main thought here seems to be—if it’s underground how can it freeze? The simple answer goes something like this. During periods of freezing weather, the frost level sinks deeper and deeper into the soil. How deep the frost goes depends on how cold it is and for how long. After temperatures rise above freezing, the soil gradually thaws out.

Ok, so how deep is your sprinkler sytem buried? Most sprinkler system lateral lines are at a depth of 8-12 inches; valves are around 12 inches; and the double check anti-siphon device at between 12 inches and 24 inches.

Now let’s look at the variables

• You really don’t know what’s under the ground and you don’t know how deep it is!
• Sometimes it gets really cold and it lasts a long time. When this happens the frost line goes deeper.
• Micro climates matter.
  • If there is a very windy spot the cold goes deeper in that area.
  • Maybe there is a concrete retaining wall with sprinkler pipes just on the other side. The cold comes from the top and from the side, so it penetrates a lot more.
• Even soil conditions, mulch or the lack thereof, vegetation, and other things influence how deep the frost penetrates.

What may break in a freeze and what happens then?

• Pipes can crack if they freeze when filled with water.
• Similarly the pipe fittings can crack.
• Valves can also be affected. These are the most expensive parts.

For some parts, especially those made of metal, the affects of alternately freezing and thawing are cumulative. You may get by for years and then something breaks.

The Full Package

Winterizing your sprinklers is just one part of ongoing care for your sprinkler system. Possibly an even more helpful service is the Spring Start Up. That service activates the sprinkler system by closing drain valves, turning the water on, and then cleaning and adjusting the sprinklers as needed. If the sprinklers are not cleaned and adjusted regularly, sprinkler system performance will deteriorate. This is also an opportune time to do any needed repairs just before the watering season begins.

The post Is Sprinkler Winterizing Necessary? first appeared on Wihebrink Landscape Management Inc.

SIGNS OF A DYING OR DEAD TREE

You should be aware of the signs of a dying or dead tree to prevent unwanted damage to your property. When trees begin to die they become a hazard. Dead branches can fall on cars, homes, garages, sheds, fences, pools, power lines, pets, and people. There are warning signs you should look for to help determine the health of your tree.

• Leaves are brown when they should not be during growth season.
• Red or Brown needles on your Evergreen is a sign that the tree is dying.
• Branches that have lost its bark is a sign of a dead branch.
• Fungus on the branches is a telltale sign that the branch is dead.
• The bark is dry, loose, and falling off.
• There are holes in the bark that indicate insect infestation.
• The trunk has fungus.
• The trunk and roots are slimy indicate a dead tree.
• Missing bark at the trunk.
• Carpenter ants at the base and around the tree.
• If you peel away the bark and the tree is dry then you have a dying tree.

WHAT TIME OF YEAR SHOULD TREES BE PRUNED?

Winter is a great time to cut most trees. As a general rule, trees and woody shrubs that don’t bloom are usually fully dormant in late winter – and should be pruned in the “dead” of winter. Blooming trees and shrubs should be pruned after they bloom.

Occasionally, pruning species such as maple and birch should be done in mid-summer for minimal sap loss. Prune trees for the importance of both health and safety. Trees that already dead should come down before they become a source of injury or property damage – any time of year!

The post Symptoms Of A Dying Tree first appeared on Wihebrink Landscape Management Inc.

Creative patio ideas can transform a mundane outdoor area into an oasis of tranquility or the hub of your family’s summer activities. While patio decorating ideas abound, you have to have a plan to achieve the effect you want. Initial considerations should be the space available, budget, and needs of your family.

First, sketch your patio and floor plan with the elements you know you will want. A patio water garden definitely adds ambience as does a fire pit. Depending upon the space required for your patio landscaping ideas, you may not have room for both. Of course, small patio ideas will differ from those patio designs suitable for the Gardens of Babylon. However, you know you will need furniture so that is a good place to begin.

Choosing The Right Furniture For Your Patio

Usually, when you walk onto a patio the first thing you do is to sit down. After all, your patio is an extension of your home so you want the furniture to be comfortable and inviting. Patio furniture has to be able to endure moisture, heat, cold, and sunlight. Most commonly, patio furniture is made out of metal, wicker, wood, or resin.

Wood

The most prevalent woods for manufacturing outdoor furniture are redwood, cedar and teak because they can endure the elements and retain their beauty. Teak is relatively maintenance-free. Applying teak oil will help the wood retain its warm color or simply let it weather to an attractive grayish coloration. Cheaper woods will need to be painted or stained to preserve them.

Wicker

Wicker can be made from any number of materials and its soft feel and elegant style fits a number of patio ideas. Lightweight and sturdy, wicker is durable but heat is its enemy. To prevent wicker from drying out, place it in the shade if possible and cover it when not in use. You may also need to revarnish it at some point.

Metal

When considering metal furniture in your patio ideas, aluminum has many advantages. Whether cast or extruded, aluminum resists corrosion. With intricate patterns, cast aluminum furniture resembles wrought iron without its disadvantages. Extruded aluminum furniture is lightweight and easy to move and store.

Resin

Available with cushions or mesh seats and backs, resin patio furniture is lightweight and can be molded to resemble wicker or wrought iron. Resistant to heat and cold, the paint is molded into the resin so chipping and fading paint won’t ever detract from the furniture’s beauty.

Patio Decorating Ideas

The vision and scope of your patio ideas will be defined by its amenities. If your patio is open to the world perhaps tall wooden shutters attached to each other by hinges would provide a windbreak and add privacy. Adding a fire pit or free standing fireplace will provide warmth and charm on cool evenings. A major patio activity is barbecuing so deciding on the type of grill you want is key. A portable propane grill is convenient, but a bricked and tiled grill adds elegance.

For a soothing touch consider a water feature in your patio ideas. The sound of running water creates mood and atmosphere. Speaking of sound, consider adding a sound system, large or small, to increase your enjoyment. Using a theme for your patio is one of the easiest ways to decorate your patio. Here are some patio decorating ideas using tropical, Asian and nautical themes. Finally, embellish your patio with decorative accessories that appeal to you such as an old wheelbarrow, whiskey barrels, wind chimes, pottery, or rugs.

Outdoor Patio Rugs

Think outside the box and include an outdoor rug in your patio ideas. Outdoor area rugs  are mold, mildew, and stain resistant. Designed to dry quickly, they can be washed off with a garden hose and will not fade with constant exposure to sunlight. Besides lending elegance, they are useful to visually separate different zones on the patio.

Lighting

More than just enabling you to use your patio after dark, patio lighting can be used to accentuate the most attractive elements you have incorporated into your design. Solar lighting is appealing because it doesn’t require any additional wiring and uses no electricity from the grid. All their energy is generated by small solar panels. Low voltage lighting is wired but uses little current and is more reliable than solar.

Solar or low voltage lighting can be used to illuminate areas. For mood lighting, strategically string Christmas lights in trees or shrubs. Small strings of lights can also be strung around patio umbrellas. Japanese lanterns, wall scones, and even candles will make the patio unique.

Planters

Patio planters can be used to help define the boundaries of your patio or use them to add a pop of color. A large planter filled with a combination of plants can become a great focal point. Planters can be used to frame spaces, by placing them on the corners you are defining that space, planters can also be used to divide larger patios into smaller sections.

Choose from the myriad styles and materials to complement your theme. Besides planter boxes and window boxes, urns and old wheelbarrows can be pressed into service as a home for beautiful flowers and fragrant vines. Planters can be used to create privacy by surrounding benches and seating areas with vines or potted trees. For plant ideas for your patio. Use these patio landscaping ideas to spruce up your patio.

Privacy

Your patio planning should account for some element of seclusion. A chain link fence covered with a profusion of vines or a thick hedge will provide solitude. Of course, a sturdy wooden privacy fence will also help to insulate you from any annoying noise pollution. A lattice wall will inexpensively zone your private Eden from the rest of the world. Again, a lush covering of flowering vines will accentuate the beauty and increase the privacy of your patio.

Your patio ideas should reflect your tastes and extend your living area into your backyard. Whether simple or elegant, the patio you design will be a focal point of your fair weather activities.

The post Patio Ideas first appeared on Wihebrink Landscape Management Inc.