As you work on the look of your patio or deck area, what are you missing? You may have forgotten to bring some of the yard a little closer to you. Often when we build patios and decks, all the green goes away to create a new ground of concrete, tile or wood. But isn’t the green in the yard the reason you were coming out here in the first place? While we are not advising letting vines and plants take over your patio or deck, it wouldn’t hurt to let them accent the outdoor area.
It’s simple to keep plants on your deck or patio, and under control, using teak planters. And even though you hadn’t thought of this before, you can look like it was your plan all along, by getting planters that match the rest of your outdoor furniture.
Containers with wide openings to display plants are a good choice. They display well and are easy to manage when watering, pruning, and caring for your plants. Sunlight can cause damage to plastic quickly and discoloration and fading makes them less appealing. Terracotta pots are more difficult to manage in sunlight because they dry out easily and plants can become dry.
Great choices for patios or decks are glazed ceramic pots in different colors. Glazed ceramic pots are not only good for water retention and planting, but they come in a variety of colors, sizes, and shapes. Just make sure they have drainage holes to avoid water becoming trapped in the soil and plants becoming over-watered and drowning.
Now, it may seem that the answer is really easy. Just get out there and research patio canopies, find the one that’s the best, hold out for a good deal, and then pull the trigger and get the darn thing installed.
Problem is, it’s a little bit harder than that to choose among the offerings. And that’s what this article is all about.
I did a lot of research into this, and believe me, researching patio canopies is not as easy as it sounds (or as fun). I’m going to get to the very best resource for choosing patio canopies in just one minute, but first let me just give you a little tip.
When you’re considering patio canopies for your home, you should know that they’re not all created equal, and that one of the things you really have to consider is what the canopy is made out of.
Just about every canopy you’ll find is simply made out of something called Sunbrella or plain old canvas, and while both of these materials offer nice variety in terms of color selection, they don’t do anything to make the area underneath them any cooler.
Closed Sides – Take those same wood pieces and move them snugly together. Now you have closed sides teak planters. These can still offer a more rustic look, or match a paneled table set, but also give you the security that they will hold the dirt and plant in.
Also, I would really discourage you from trying to cut corners by going with a generic company that produces budget patio canopies. It may seem like you’re getting a good deal in the beginning, but what I found is that most of these products will wear out after one or two seasons (if not sooner), and you wind up paying more in the long run because you’ll wind up repairing it, or even having to replace it, sooner than you think.