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Small Patios Offer Lots Of Space For Big Ideas

Tribune photo by JULIE BUSCH

A three-tiered corner shelf is used to utilize space in Sylvia Bourgoin's Carrollwood apartment patio.

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By SYLVIA BOURGOIN

Special to The Tribune

Published: July 16, 2008

Living in an apartment doesn't mean you can't have a green haven, though many patios hold nothing more than a few chairs and a grill. Even the smallest, shadiest patios can offer a private space for retreating from the hectic rush with a cup of joe or a glass of wine.

Patios make up in versatility what they lack in size. It's hard to rearrange shrubs but moving pots around is a cinch.

There are no limits to the decorating ideas for even a small patio. A few deck chairs, an elegant statue and a potted palm offer a simple aesthetic for those who prefer a stripped-down look.

People who want to get a bit crazy might mix upside-down tomatoes with kitschy pots, use an old birdbath as a base for an herb garden, or turn old birdcages into planters.

Window boxes and hanging brackets are available in a variety of colors and styles, and old furniture such as small bookshelves and end tables can be sealed and put to use outside. Paint mismatched wooden chairs for a whimsical look. Wind chimes, small fountains, sun catchers, seashells and even rocks can spruce up screened areas.

Many tropical plants are adapted to shadier environments, and need water more than sunlight. Self-watering containers and watering globes make the chore easy, and give even the most neglected plants a fair shot at survival.

Some plants prefer screened, shady patios. Violets, some begonias, and orchids do well with partial sunlight.

Sunny patios are perfect for plants and flowers that attract butterflies and hummingbirds. These delicate creatures like bright, colorful flowers - and lots of them.

Roses, pentas and petunias should do well on a brightly lit patio.

If you prize function over form, turn your patio into a vegetable garden. Cabbage, lettuce, and other leafy vegetables generally prefer shade, and carrots, beets and other root vegetables need more sunlight. Fruit vegetables like tomatoes and cucumbers require a good deal of sunlight.

Vegetables that adapt well to containers include cherry tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, and some root vegetables, like carrots. Some vegetables don't mind cohabitating with herbs, so you can grow the seasonings along with the dish. Check seed packets for root depth and light requirements, and keep them in mind when buying containers.

For the bold, large plastic trash cans may be used to grow deeper rooted vegetables.

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