Photo by Collov Home Design on Unsplash

If you are thinking about building a new patio or deck from scratch, this one is for you. While there are numerous ways to design your patio, we collated sustainable ways to spruce up your patio garden, reduce your negative environmental impact, and have a patio that can truly be an extension of a green home.

5 Sustainable Ways to Spruce Up Your Patio

1. Consider your space

A square or rectangular patio pressed up against the back of your house is not always the best option. Organic shapes and circular or curving forms can frequently make the deck feel more connected to the rest of the garden. Curving shapes can also be more relaxing than spaces with hard straight lines and sharp angles.

2. Thrift or upcycle decorations

The patio may be one of the first things to greet any visitors to your home. Therefore, it must be presentable and pleasing to the eye, even to the keenest of observers. However, investing in quality, sustainable outdoor furniture materials that can last years does not imply breaking the bank.

Recycling materials and upcycling decorations are recommended for a sustainable patio garden because they avoid the issues associated with raw material extraction. Here are some sustainable materials for building your deck and patio:

Broken concrete, also known as an urbanite, can be obtained from demolished driveways and the like. These pieces can be recycled and used as large flagstone pavers for your patio, as well as foundations for retaining walls or borders to hold back soil along the patio's edge.

Reclaimed lumber — whether sourced directly from loggers or torn down from ramshackle farmhouses — used in pallets, construction sites, or anywhere else, is helpful as planters, trellises, arbors, pergolas, and other structures that may be useful in a patio design.

Flowerboxes made from wooden pallets or cinderblocks, planters growing out from the old tin and enamel cans, windchimes made from repurposed glass bottles, or garden decorations passed down are examples of upcycled accessories.

3. Purchase sustainable materials

When all recycled options have been exhausted, numerous organically-produced patio materials are on the market, ranging from recycled plastic decking to statement furniture pieces made from FSC-certified lumber. So whatever your patio design is, there is almost certainly a sustainable alternative for any materials needed to construct it.

Below is a guide to aid you in making the best, most sustainable landscaping decisions.

Plant life is essential for a sustainable patio. 

Make sure to have something beneficial for you and the planet, such as the following:

• Butterflies are attracted to milkweed.
• Bees are drawn to the nectar of flowers.
• Native plants that require little water or fertilizer attract insects to your plants.
• Edible plants that increase your food self-sufficiency reduce your reliance on unsustainable forms of agriculture — culinary herbs, potted berry bushes, and fruiting vines are examples of edibles that are well-suited to patio gardens.
• Plants grown without pesticides and fertilizers are becoming more common nowadays.

Pro-tip: When you grow native plants directly from your locale, they are more likely to survive, grow, and thrive as they are already genetically predisposed to the temperate weather of the place, so make sure to do so.

Concrete pavers are among the most environmentally-friendly building materials available. Instead of relying on trees or plastic for decking, you can have a strong, aesthetically pleasing, and cheap but still high-quality concrete patio.

If you want to ensure that your patio is truly green, you should consider using permeable concrete, which allows for proper drainage and prevents stormwater runoff.

Permeable pavers prevent water from pooling and causing stormwater runoff, which can contribute to erosion in the surrounding ecosystems. Here are some of the most common types of eco-friendly patio pavers on the market today:

• Porous Concrete
• Permeable Pavers 
• Interlocking Stone
• Natural Wood
• Pressure-treated Lumber
• Composite Wood
• Aluminum

4. Purchase good lighting

If you choose to have an eco-friendly patio and backyard landscape, don't forget about eco-friendly lighting. The most environmentally friendly patio lighting options are solar and LED lighting. 

5. Use eco-friendly outdoor furniture materials

You can source sustainable outdoor furniture materials such as teak or bamboo from responsible forestry practices. Teak wood is long-lasting and resistant to weather. However, it takes many years for this tree to mature. Bamboo, meanwhile, grows faster, making it a more renewable and eco-friendly patio furniture material. If you don't want wood, consider patio furniture made of recycled plastics.

An Eco-Friendly Home

Patio gardens are popular as they connect the house to the garden, making them a peaceful sanctuary for outdoor living. Therefore, they must be made presentable and pleasing to the eye.

The good news is that you can get the most out of your backyard by using these sustainable materials with the assistance of experienced landscaping companies, making your backyard comfortable and appealing while also protecting the environment.

Written by Johnny Ching

 

About the Author

Johnny Ching is the owner of Direct Marketplace — an online furniture store providing the finest quality and budget-friendly products since 2010. He maintains excellent client relationships and ensures that customers have the best possible experience. When not working, Johnny likes to spend his time with his family strolling along the beach of Southern California. 

 

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