Patio Material For Woodland Setting?

[C.Swartz]

Howdy all. I'm looking for ideas for what kind of material to use for a patio. I'm going for a woodland type feel. Patio will not be used for dining, but rather for sitting/reading, etc... Kinda more of courtyard than a traditional patio. Looking at an area of maybe 400 sq ft.

My first thought of material is simply mulch. Any problems with doing this? There are already many areas around the house with mulch. I mulched about 500 sq ft last year around some shrubs/trees and am very pleased with the results.

Mulch for a patio/courtyard? Maybe some large pavers for a pathway? Anyone forsee any problems with this idea? Weed barrier fabric will certainly be used to control weeds.

Any input appreciated. Chris

[Dewolla Stepon]

Chris, I have a 350 sq ft "campsite" area in my yard (with a smoker and a fire pit), back under some huge cedars, where I have a rustic patio. I wanted to put decomposed granite or crushed rock down but we have a big problem with gophers. I finally just placed square red concrete pavers directly onto the levelled ground and it turned out nice.

- Dewolla

[Beecrofter]

Of course knowing where you were might help a bit. Mulch doesn't sound like a bad idea, some of the shredded barks sold by the bag or the truckload look rather nice. Instead of pavers consider using rounds of wood cut off the ends of logs. If you have turf allready you might want to keep some of the turf and edge and mulch the areas your use of the space wears out. Take a look at some of the photos of Japanese gardens online if you want some new ideas.

[Terry]

Hi, If they are available, I have found the best mulch for a woodland garden path is pine needles. To make them look natural though, you would have to have a few evergreen trees along your path. Bark mulch will work great if there are not a lot of earwigs in your area. Earwigs love mulch especially if it is moist.

Personally, I like the idea of using pavers as the patio. I would try to choose a neutral colour like terracotta. Definitely I would not use grey stone.

[MC]

What is the rest of your yard like? Trees? Climate? What is YOUR idea of a wooded setting? For example, if you live in the Keys, a northwoods experience might be a bit strange...

Organic mulch would look great and very authentic. I might consider a very thick (4-6") layer of finely shredded bark. I would go thick to create a more natural underfoot experience: cushiony like the forest floor. Flagstone for stepping stones would blend in well. Larger flagstone for your sitting areas and chairs/table would work. An alternative to stones might be slices of tree trunk crosssections. With all the many types of trees, you cuold have fun picking decorative species. I might look into a way to preserve any wood slabs.

As the area ages, you might see good things happening: mosses, groundcovers. Add some rocks and boulders.

Maybe it would be worth heading to your favorite woods to get your ideas from an expert, Mother Nature.

Organic materials deteriorate over time and will need to be replenished.

Other considerations: If you plan to go barefoot, you may want something more foot friendly. Anything loose may get tracked into your building.

If you decided to go woodland, you could have lots of fun building or selecting furniture to match.

[MC]

Forgot one thing: Add a water feature and some feeders.