Summertime is when the days are longer than the nights, the air is warmer and friends and family get together more often. It is a time to relax outdoors and to get closer to nature. After the snows of winter melt away, your garden begins to blossom and grow as if winter never occurred. It is this time of year that many families spend lazy afternoons sitting on their patios staring out at their gardens and spending time with their friends and loved ones.

A Patio Is a Must-Have

Naturally, if you plan on spending time in your garden, a patio is a must-have. Sure, there’s nothing wrong with a lawn, but each night as the sun sets, dew condenses on the ground and softens the soil. Even the slightest rain can result in mud which can be tracked into and all throughout the house.

A patio can come in many different shapes and sizes – with its simplest form being nothing more than a few paving stones neatly arranged in the garden to provide a dry and stable place to stand. Many homeowners prefer, however, to have a patio that is aesthetically pleasing to the eye and matches the design of the existing home. As a result, their design and construction can also be very complex in nature.

Where to Sit

Unless you plan to spend your summer laying in the grass, or sitting on the bare slab, you will need to think about placing a patio table and chairs in the garden, or even a wooden bench outdoor. Because this furniture will be exposed to the elements year-round, it’s important to choose something that is specifically designed for outdoor use. The last thing that anyone wants to do when the rain starts coming down is to run out to the garden to bring the furniture inside so that it doesn’t get damaged.

Concrete patio furniture will last the longest and is the least susceptible to damage from the rain and freezing cold winters. But it isn’t very comfortable to sit on, and it’s not very budget friendly. Coated metal chairs are one of the cheapest options out there. But, if any part of the coating is worn away and the metal is exposed, it will begin to rust, and that rust can spread to areas – even if the coating is still intact. Wooden furniture, however, is not only extremely comfortable but it is also extremely durable. When properly maintained and refinished every year, a wooden table and chair set could last a lifetime.

Enjoying Nature

In the end, all that matters is that you are able to walk out the back door of your home, quietly sit down in your favourite chair with a cup of tea in hand and enjoy your small piece of nature. Although a patio can be built in a few days, a true garden takes years to perfect. It takes careful planning to create that perfect garden you have always dreamed of, but it will be worth it once the birds and butterflies find it and call it home.