Tip of the week: How to transform your patio

Create privacy. A tree’s “leafy canopy” can close in the space, while tall ornamental grass can make a patio feel “more secluded.” Go a step further and create a “virtual wall of planters,” which creates an intimate, soothing atmosphere.

Make it lush. Even if you don’t have “acres of space” or a big budget for landscaping, give your patio a “middle-of-the-garden feel” by concentrating flowers around the edges of the patio, covering a pergola with vines, or adding flagstones to “blend the patio into the backyard.”

Create a color scheme. Make a patio into the “perfect retreat” by coordinating the colors of accessories with the surrounding plants and flowers. A bright, multihued umbrella “picks up the colors of impatiens” while a gold bistro table pulls out the yellow of sunflowers and black-eyed Susans.

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Source: Better Homes & Gardens