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Installing a patio to your garden can provide an area that is ideal for relaxing and spending time with family and friends. Your patio can be created with slabs or intricate brickwork depending on what you envision.

A variety of factors should be taken into consideration when planning your perfect patio, from styling, lighting, accessories and more. We’ve gone into detail about 5 things that we believe you should think about before having your patio installed, some of which Ultimate Landscapes can cater for.

Patio Styling

The style of your patio is a lot more flexible in nowadays due to the progression of concrete colouring and stamping tools. Because of this, you can design a patio that is completely suited to the current style of your property, garden, and personal tastes. The shape and size of your garden also no longer affects your options when choosing a patio style as concrete can be formed to any shape and size.

Patios can be installed using a wide selection of materials – from concrete to granite, to slate, to limestone and more. Your options are endless – you can create your own patio area that either matches or compliments your properties brickwork, whilst meeting your own requirements and staying within budget.

Verandas

Verandas are becoming increasingly popular due to their practicality and the shelter they provide, along with their stylish look. Ultimate Landscapes offer a large selection of timber structures, including verandas, that can help to brighten up your patio.

You may decide to grow plants and vines up and over the top, providing a leafy green area perfect for relaxation. Alternatively, you could add a canopy to add a thicker shelter, or you may want something a bit more contemporary and opt for a glass roof veranda. Either way, we see this as being an essential when planning your perfect patio!

Seating Areas

When choosing your seating options, it’s important to factor in whether you have space to store this additional furniture during the winter months. If not, then we would recommend buying outdoor dining sets that can handle the weather changes.

There are various products available out there to help protect your garden furniture – from table sheets to wood stain and varnish. For maximum comfort, chair cushions are always a popular choice, and these can easily be stored inside when not in use.

To take the comfort level a bit further, why not consider large outdoor beanbags?

Ultimate Landscapes can also create bespoke wooden benches should you want something truly unique for your garden.

Patio Lighting

Lighting up your patio allows you to spend quality time outdoors with friends and family, even after the sun has set. From fairy lights hanging from your veranda to solar powered lights bordering your patio, there are thousands of options available. To brighten up your pathways outside, you could add wall lighting.

Not only does patio lighting provide safety when walking in the dark, but also atmosphere for those late summer nights, depending on your chosen style.

Accessories

The last thing that we feel important to consider when doing up your garden, is how you accessorise your patio area. Plants, ornaments and wind chimes all help to create a certain feel. Even funky chair cushions and table runners can brighten up a dull back garden.

Whatever style you have decided to go for, be it contemporary and sleek, or pretty and floral, additional accessories can help to accentuate that style.

Ultimate Landscapes offer patio design and installation, along with many more landscaping services in Countesthorpe, Hinckley and the surrounding areas. If you’d like further information or free advice, then please contact us on 01164 318 489.

Your driveway is the first thing that people see when arriving at your property, or even if they’re just walking past. At Ultimate Landscapes, we feel that the exterior of your home is just as important as the interior. Whether you’re thinking of getting a new driveway installed ready for summer 2018 and want to keep it looking as good as new, or whether you just want to know how best to maintain your current driveway, take a look at the following steps to see what we’d recommend.

Cleaning Your Driveway

The material that your driveway is made from will depend on the best way to clean it. However, unless your driveway is made from gravel or other loose materials, we’d recommend starting by sweeping and debris off of your driveway. Gravel driveways also need the leaves, sticks and other debris removing from the surface, but we’d suggest doing this by hand rather than with a brush. Using a brush will only end up moving all of the gravel around, leaving you with gaps in your driveway.

Once you have cleared your driveway, you can begin to look into cleaning products that are recommended for your type of driveway. Cleaning solutions can help to remove any tyre or oil marks on the ground, whilst also washing away any other dirt that may have settled.

Removing Moss and Greenery

You may suffer from moss and greenery on your driveway, so when searching for a cleaning solution, keep a look out for one that is fungicidal as this can instantly kill any moss, algae or any other unwanted greenery. The majority of these solutions are plant and lawn friendly, so you don’t have to worry about the solution damaging the rest of your front garden.

It’s important to be mindful when purchasing cleaning solutions as some contain acid which can cause damage to concrete, clay and natural stone surfaces. Homemade driveway cleaners can also be made using household items such as salt and vinegar

Sealing Your Driveway

If your driveway is built using block paving or asphalt, using a sealant can help to protect the surface. It can protect against oil and other substances and can also protect against loss of colour from UV light. On top of this, it can also reduce the growth of weeds to minimise the frequency of de-weeding your driveway. Sealing your driveway is recommended every 1-3 years to help maximise its lifespan and aesthetic appeal.

If you’d like some further advice on looking after your driveway, please get in touch with Ultimate Landscapes. We specialise in bespoke driveway installations in Countesthorpe, Hinckley and the surrounding areas in Leicestershire, and have a variety of materials available. For further information or installation enquiries, please contact us on 01164 318 489.