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Building terraces
Paving has to be practical, so when you’re designing a terrace or patio ensure it connects places people need to go. For instance, from the patio doors to the kitchen door.
And make sure there’s a big enough area to put out tubs of plants, chairs and a table, plus the barbecue if you use one, with room for people to walk around carrying food and drinks safely.
Don’t just fill the gaps around the back of the house with paving; make the paving a definite shape that complements the house and garden. It should look like a natural halfway point between one and the other.
When designing your terrace choose to use either sweeping curves or straight lines.
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Sometimes it makes sense to use the shape of the house as your guideline. Curves can help to soften the hard edges of a rather square patio, but if they don’t relate to what’s already there the design may not feel right.
Try using symmetrical shapes which fit in with the angles that surround the area. Once the terrace has been built you can soften the hard lines with plants. |
How high should my terrace be?
A low wall, roughly knee-high, helps to establish a terrace or patio as a self-contained feature within the garden.
It doesn’t obstruct the view, but it provides extra seating and space for plants, which are vital for softening those hard lines.
This is where it really pays to know plants that like life in the hot spots.
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