Urban patio

An urban patio with fresh vegetables, a bit of sports and lots of seating

This is the walk to the market, or a restaurant. The wood screen at left hides an air conditioning unit.

This privet became an thing of beauty once the arborist thinned it out: no need to plant a new tree!

Colorful tiles create a junction accent point. In time, shrubs will grow, separating the seating area from the patio.

An opportunity for a quick game lurks behind the combination screen and vegetable trellis

The folding umbrella blocks the sun and keeps debris from a nearby tree from burying the table.

new patio

What it may lack in size, it makes up in usability. Seating choices surround the patio, a table tennis rematch awaits behind the screen, a table invites guests to linger over a meal, an integrated vegetable garden helps provide the food. There’s even an espaliered apple tree awaiting autumn harvests. The back gate leads to local restaurants in case nobody wants to cook.

What this garden needed was functionality, style and a sense of place. Tiled patios replaced dirt, an umbrella blossoms over a new dining area, seat walls wrap around spaces for larger gatherings. Snap peas climb a hog wire trellis separating the table tennis area from the dining table, where they will eventually create a green backdrop to the table.

The patio lies between the kitchen and a gate leading to a number of local restaurants, and maybe a market (it used to be a Whole Foods, but they closed, leaving a vacuum).