Small patio with decorative clay paving

A patio is a walled-in garden or courtyard that offers ample privacy and a private character. It is an intimate, atmospheric location that is ideal for seeking calm. What is the best design? With the right paving, plants, and decoration, you can turn your small urban garden into a real oasis.

A good design is half the job when it comes to a patio garden. Even if the patio occupies only a small part of your garden, it’s important to think about the practical layout and atmosphere that you’re looking for. Start by working out where your seating will be located. Do you want to sit in the sun or the shade? Then, look at whether or not you need a path to the shed or back door. You should then figure out your plants. Borders and planters are important as they allow rain water to run off into the soil. Moreover, a paved garden can become much too warm in the summer. Take a look from your living room window into the garden – perhaps it would be nice to have a view out onto nice plants, a water feature, or a decorative fireplace.

If you’re short on space, you can put your plants in pots. Garden designers recommended putting plants in pots together. If you decide on borders, make them as large as possible (it’s better to have one large border than two or three small ones). Ensure that your plants are beautiful throughout the year. Choose shrubs that will stay green during the winter and perennials that will flower in spring, summer, or autumn.

Minimum patio space requires ‘out-of-the-box’ solutions. This could include painting the walls in different colours, climbing plants , or wooden wall coverings. Wood is a soft material that goes well with decorative clay paving. You can also use it for tables, wall, and corner seating areas. For an added dynamic and difference in height in your garden, you could use robust wooden blocks as a base that can act as an eye-catcher, as well as pots of plants and patterns. These will help to create more dynamic and differences in height in the garden.

If you have a walled-in garden but fancy that cosy feel of a patio, you can lower an area of your garden and quickly get the typical feel of a patio. You could then surround it by clay stacking blocks. By introducing plants around the edges and a fire basket in the centre, you can create an entirely intimate seating area.

When creating a patio garden, the choice of pavement is very important. Large slabs look sleek and modern, but a clay paver can give more atmosphere in a small space. Decorative clay paving can last up to 135 years and, thanks to its colourfastness and extremely strong properties, it is a sustainable choice for the patio. Decorative paving with different colours and patterns gives the patio its own unique atmosphere. A little variation can help you to add accents, you could do this in the seating area.

Range of clay pavers