55 Ideas for Landscaping Around a Deck or Patio

These days, many of us are spending more time relaxing, entertaining (or even working) on our back decks or patios, so why not make the surrounding landscape as beautiful as possible? A small investment upfront and a weekend spent planting will ensure your backyard stays beautiful for years to come. We've compiled a list of 55 gorgeous ways to landscape around a deck or patio, whether your goal is to plant some privacy, kick up the color with annuals or enjoy year-round color with evergreens. Here, the designers at Mom's Design Build installed a putting green next to this pretty patio geared toward entertaining.

In desperate need of some privacy in your outdoor space? You could build a fence to shield yourself from the prying eyes of nosy neighbors, or you could plant a living wall of beautiful evergreen trees instead. Here, Emerald Green arborvitae trees, which can reach up to 15 feet tall, provide beautiful privacy year-round and create a gorgeous green backdrop to this cozy outdoor living room. In warm seasons, the white brick fireplace is flanked by stunning limelight hydrangeas.

Layering diverse, organic textures in the beds surrounding your deck or patio is an easy way to make your outdoor space feel like an oasis. To achieve this look, pair contrasting elements like rough boulders and soft grasses in one part of the mulched bed, then build a rock garden in another. Weave a few favorite annuals and small shrubs throughout for a low-maintenance landscape that feels like it's been there all along.

An assortment of sedum, thyme and dwarf mondo grass populates the negative space between bluestones on this Charleston patio. Planting creeping groundcover in the gaps between pavers or steppingstones softens hard edges and offers up a more enlivened landscape. With this technique, the entire outdoor area has a consistent, textured style that draws the eye naturally throughout the space.