The addition of a hard outdoor surface, whether deck or patio, increases living space considerably, and will greatly increase the usefulness of your garden. If you have any interest at all in spending time outdoors garden patios really are almost as essential to a garden as plants are. A transition area between house and garden can become a part of both and can greatly extend the season when you can enjoy your garden after the hard work of gardening is done.

The alternatives to garden patios are wooden decks or stone patios. Gravel doesn't really make a satisfactory surface to sit or play on, and while grass can be perfect for both, for much of the spring and autumn, it will probably be too wet and muddy to be pleasant to go on.

Hard surfaces are the most expensive form of ground cover (more so than many fitted indoor floorings), so make sure you are using all of the area usefully. Pots can be placed in corners where you are unlikely to tread, but it seems a waste to me to put them on useful parts of the garden patios or deck, you may have paid £50+ for the area where your petunias are standing.

there are many designers and suppliers for materials and landscapers for installation work. You may wish to look at some of the following :

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