What do I do with my patio?

Heather Willis
by Heather Willis

We are remodeling a flooded home and I have no idea what to do with this patio! The previous owner has paths and I don’t care for that too much plus the entire back patio is unlevel, but is great for drainage!!!

  7 answers
  • Nan W. Nan W. on Mar 18, 2019

    Heather: If the patio drains well -- especially after a house flooded, I would leave it unlevel. This yard is creaming for a cleanup and a bush trim. New grass or ground cover would make it look like a park! Maybe add some (relatively inexpensive) monkey grass along the paths.

    • Heather Willis Heather Willis on Mar 18, 2019

      Oh yeah I have my hands full with this one!! We are currently working on the house so no time yet for the yard but it is a must! I have orange trees and wisteria and honeysuckle and Lily’s, roses and azaleas as well. I just need some ideas for where the walk throughs are, I don’t like those

  • Kauai Breeze Kauai Breeze on Mar 18, 2019

    The patio should be sloped away from the house. The back yard could be beautiful, but lacks vertical interest and color. Add a few columnar cedar trees and maybe a specimen lawn tree like flowering crab or dogwood...something that only grows about 15 ft tall and it's roots won't lift the walks. Then add perennial plants like hosta and astilbe in shade areas, and daylilies and other plants in the sun. A few climbing vines on trellis along the back wall would be nice. Try clematis or climbing roses! Avoid grass since it is high maintenance and make sure to cover each bed with a thick layer of mulch.

    • Heather Willis Heather Willis on Mar 18, 2019

      The backyard is beautiful and there’s a bayou right off my yard! It does flood up to the retaining wall atleast once a year so not going to plant anything down there

  • Franny Monaghan Lathe Franny Monaghan Lathe on Mar 18, 2019

    Where are you located . If it's a hot climate I would put decorative gravel where the grasss isn't dong so good

  • Mary Mary on Mar 18, 2019

    Hi the first thing is clean up the yard. I would put up a patio cover, vines that would cover the fence to have a nice view when you sit outside. Gravel/ bark no maintenance on one pathway.


    • Heather Willis Heather Willis on Mar 18, 2019

      We just weedeated when I took this pic so yes it looks horrible! We are going to remove the plum tree in the corner and put a deck coming off the sun room at some point. Also I’m going to plant some jasmine and moon flowers on the back wall as well. I really don’t like the paths and am going to remove the rocks but didn’t know what to plant there!! Thanks for the advice

  • 17335038 17335038 on Mar 21, 2019

    You have lots going on already in the yard with various plants, several not looking so healthy. My suggestion on where to start would be to address the drainage issue first. There is no point in sinking money into anything that is supposed to grow if the land has first not been levelled properly, to protect the home structure, conserve water, and facilitate optimal growth.


    If you do not want to be spending a great deal of time in the yard with maintenance, then I would suggest to remove some of the vegetation that requires constant clipping, pruning, and weeding.

    • Heather Willis Heather Willis on Mar 21, 2019

      the drainage is absolutely perfect as it slopes downhill, onto the pathway that leads into the backyard which slopes down then levels out then off to the bayou. the house itself is level. The lady who owned it loved her plants and bushes and birds, I have already removed some of the bushes prior to taking the picture. Maybe I should take a better pic of the patio looking out onto the yard. Thank you for your time and input!!

  • Sandie60 Sandie60 on Mar 21, 2019

    Yes, please give us a different view of the yard.

    Thank you.

  • Heather Willis Heather Willis on Mar 22, 2019

    Here ya go! Please take in mind I know we have a lot of work to do and this property was flooded big time! House itself had over 8 ft of water so was entirely covered. As far as the backyard is concerned, I have that covered as to what to do with it, im more concerned with the patio and I love color!! It’s needs a good clean up and it’s on the list! Thanks for the feedback and many pics are here you!!! First pics are from the backyard looking up to the house. Others are the back patio and side of house. The fish pond will be a water feature of some kind I’m thinking.