Patio Ideas: Size, Pavers and Planting Around It

Getting it right

Measure outward from the furniture: a table for six needs a clear area of about 12 by 12 feet (3.5 × 3.5 m), and a grill or bench adds another 3 feet (1 m). Slope the surface about 1/8 to 1/4 inch per foot (1–2%) away from the house, and keep it below the door threshold and clear of the siding. Then break up the gray: a 2-foot (60 cm) planted border along at least one long side, creeping thyme in the joints at the edges, and one large pot where the paving meets the lawn.

How to plan it

Put the patio where you'll actually use it. Right outside the kitchen door is convenient for meals; a second spot farther out, in evening sun or under a tree, often gets more use for relaxing. Watch where sun and shade fall at the times you'd sit outside before deciding.

Choose the surface. Concrete pavers are the budget option; natural stone such as sandstone or limestone looks warmer but varies in thickness; porcelain pavers are thin, hard and stain-resistant. All of them need a compacted gravel base, typically 4 to 6 inches (10–15 cm) deep, and more where the ground freezes hard.

Soften the edges with planting, shade and light: a pergola with a vine or a shade sail for midday sun, a border of lavender, grasses or hostas along at least one side, creeping thyme between the edge pavers, and string lights or low uplights for the evenings.

Plants that work

Botanical names come first so you can order the right plant anywhere. Heights are for mature plants in the ground.
Plant	Type	Light	Water	Height	Hardy to
OliveOlea europaea	Tree · Evergreen	Full sun	Low	10–26 ft (3–8 m)	18 °F / −8 °C
English lavenderLavandula angustifolia	Shrub · Evergreen	Full sun	Low	16–28 in (40–70 cm)	−4 °F / −20 °C
Lily of the NileAgapanthus praecox	Perennial · Semi-evergreen	Full sun	Moderate	2–3 ft (0.6–1 m)	18 °F / −8 °C
Star jasmineTrachelospermum jasminoides	Climber · Evergreen	Partial shade	Moderate	10–20 ft (3–6 m)	10 °F / −12 °C
Chinese wisteriaWisteria sinensisInvasive in parts of the US. Check your state's list.	Climber · Deciduous	Full sun	Moderate	20–39 ft (6–12 m)	−13 °F / −25 °C
Common boxwoodBuxus sempervirens	Shrub · Evergreen	Partial shade	Moderate	1–10 ft (0.3–3 m)	−4 °F / −20 °C
Mondo grassOphiopogon japonicus	Groundcover · Evergreen	Partial shade	Moderate	6–10 in (15–25 cm)	5 °F / −15 °C
Creeping thymeThymus serpyllum	Groundcover · Evergreen	Full sun	Low	2–4 in (5–10 cm)	−22 °F / −30 °C
HostaHosta (hybrids)	Perennial · Deciduous	Shade	Moderate	12–31 in (30–80 cm)	−31 °F / −35 °C
Chinese silver grass (miscanthus)Miscanthus sinensisInvasive in parts of the US. Check your state's list.	Grass · Deciduous	Full sun	Moderate	4–7 ft (1.2–2 m)	−13 °F / −25 °C
RosemarySalvia rosmarinus	Shrub · Evergreen	Full sun	Low	2–5 ft (0.6–1.5 m)	10 °F / −12 °C
Blue fescueFestuca glauca	Grass · Evergreen	Full sun	Low	8–12 in (20–30 cm)	−22 °F / −30 °C

Surfaces and materials

Porcelain pavers
Sandstone pavers
Granite cobbles
Wood pergola
Outdoor kitchen
Fire pit
String lights
Glazed pots

Works well when

You eat outside in the evening
People walk on it barefoot
The space is sheltered and warm
You want low maintenance
It faces south

Think twice when

The ground stays wet after rain
The budget is tight
It is shaded for most of the day

Common questions

What's the cheapest patio material?

Gravel laid over a compacted base, with an edge to hold it in, is the cheapest. Poured concrete and concrete pavers come next; natural stone and porcelain cost the most but last longest.

How big should my patio be?

About 12 by 12 feet (3.5 × 3.5 m) for a table and six chairs, or about 10 by 10 feet (3 × 3 m) for a table for four, plus room to walk around. Lounge chairs and a grill each need extra space.

Which way should a patio slope?

Away from the house, about 1/8 to 1/4 inch per foot (1–2%), so rain runs into the lawn or a drain rather than toward the foundation.

Can I plant between pavers?

Yes, with low, tough plants such as creeping thyme in wider joints at the edges, where feet and chairs don't constantly cross. Fill those joints with a sandy soil mix rather than polymeric sand.