Front Patio Ideas

[dawny75]

I live in a very hot climate and we don't spend much time outdoors except in the fall. I'm looking for some frugal ideas to make my front patio area more inviting. I have an L-shaped walkway from the driveway to the front door. Hedges on both sides of the walkway are too big to pull out. The covered area at my doorstep is about ten feet wide and four feet deep.

Right now I keep a wire basket of balls for the kids on the patio, and a big pot of flowers. I have a wreath hanging on the wall next to the door (gift from my realtor when I bought the house).
Any ideas?

[Shawn]

I think some plants and a few cushions on chairs and a side table would be fine. Put a plant on the table also.

If you have a banister around the porch, why not use sill planters or something to place flowers in.

just a few ideas

[janet]

Can you trim the front bushes so they won't take up so much room? Gee, if we were neighbors I would send my hubby over ...he has moved many bushes, trees, and it is amazing since it is all with stuff (tools) we own. Who would of known??? He has hooked up the old 4 wheel drive and pulled bushes out if they were causing too many problems.

I have a bench on my front porch and a planter of ivy, and a basket with garden mums in it...Walmart has some great mums then you can replant them in the yard and they will come up year after year. I love that! I too have wreath on my door with a old corn knife(small) that has been painted with a cabin scene on it, It fills the hole in the center of the wreath. Now I change my door and of course the flowers are gone in winter..but with the hoildays there is always something to hang on the door. Sometimes I just add a Xmas ribbon to give it a different look.

If it looks good to you..that's all that matters!
Good Luck!
janet

[nagymom]

I have the L shaped walk with bushes as well. My front porch is long and narrow and definitely lacking in appeal. I have a long narrow tile top table that I am going to set on the porch against the wall. I have a table top water fountain that I am going to set on it (to use when sitting outside, it splashes so badly we can't use it on our wood tables indoors) and I bought several pretty pots for 1/2 price at Big Lots. I also have a couple of cute things to hang on the wall. (A bird house in the shape of a hat with ribbon is my favorite). I have hung wind chimes from the porch roof and will change my table decorations from season to season. I know this sounds kind of "busy" but it's actually all quite tasteful.

We plan to pull out some of the bushes and transplant if possible since some are flowering. We want to plant gardenia bushes in the front for color and scent.

We just bought this house this summer and have lots of plans, including vinyl siding and replacement windows. We are meeting with the contractor this evening to get that ball rolling.
I've never had this much fun decorating the outside of a house!

Have fun with your project!
Jayne
AKA