Oftentimes, patios need to be planned along with steps. This is because the patio will need a large, level area, and if the grade isn’t completely level to begin with, steps will need to be part of the patio landscaping.

Look at this photo as our case in point.

This patio landscaping is on a lakeshore property, so to start off with, we chose PERMEABLE PAVERS as the patio surface. If you look closely, you can see the gaps in between the pavers which have been engineered that way to allow for drainage. There is also a system of layered rock under the patio to capture the water. This type of paver system is loved by the DES (Department of EnvironmentalServices) folks who do the permitting for lakeshore projects.

The patio landscaping on this project was intended to give a level place for the picnic table and a safe way to walk down the slope to the dock and beach. The stone steps were designed in this patio landscaping to be off to one side of the patio in order to make the foot traffic pattern stay away from the picnic table area. The stone steps are granite in this project. The edge of the patio is retained with granite curbs for a consistent look, and one granite step leads you off the patio onto the beach. The fieldstone and boulders along the steps help to prevent mulch from getting onto the steps, and helps to visually tie everything into the surrounding slope. The plantings were done simply and are intended to ‘naturalize’ the look to blend in with the surrounding woods.

Your patio landscaping is unique. Perhaps you want a more clean and formal look. Try making yours out of pavers and have a concrete retaining wall block made into a ‘sitting wall’ around it. This will not only add a ‘clean’ line element to the patio landscaping, but will also increase your sitting area for overflow guests.

Maybe your patio landscaping should be done entirely out of natural stone. Try either geometrically cut bluestone pieces or irregular bluestone. Then make the stone steps out of a natural bluestone giving the entire look a gorgeous natural stone feel. Nothing is more beautiful and long lasting than natural stone.

When designing your patio and steps, look for materials that will coordinate with each other nicely. Whatever your ideas are for your patio landscaping, Landscapes by Tom can help you design and install the patio landscaping of your dreams!