Decks are versatile and probably one of the most beautiful ways to have an indoor-outdoor experience. Even though they are separate from the actual garden, that doesn’t mean that you can’t bring your garden to the deck.
Decorating the deck gives life to a rather empty and plain space. Before placing large pots and plants, homeowners should ensure the strength of the materials used to make the deck. Because most of them are made of wood, they may be prone to wobbling or bending.
Wood also absorbs moisture, causing it to rot faster. This is crucial because plants need to be watered every day. So make sure that your deck builder uses the best materials to avoid premature damage to your deck.
Once you’re confident about the build quality, start with these easy steps to decorate your deck:
1. Think About How You Want to Use Your Deck
Decks are a multi-purpose space. They can be used for family meals, hanging out with friends, alone time, exercise, and a lot more. These functions require different setups.
If you plan to use your deck for gatherings, consider using low-maintenance plants. Also, make sure to use pots or containers that don’t easily tip over. This is because of the possible heavy traffic during these gatherings. There could be children running around or a tipsy friend.
For alone time purposes, you can be a little more expressive and creative with the space. Decks are great places to have your morning coffee or journal in the evening. A good idea would be to surround your chair with a bed of flowers. You can also keep your most sensitive and most expensive plants in this area.
When you use your deck to exercise, it’s best to first make sure of the integrity of the deck. If you’re going to do some jumping, your deck needs to be sturdy. It would also be best to avoid pots that won’t remain in place while you’re working out.
2. Collect a wide variety of pots
Collecting pots of different shapes, sizes, and styles gives you more options while designing your deck. Because of this, you’ll be able to explore different placements and styles for every corner.
Additionally, having more pots means more room for plants. Your deck will be filled with plants of different sizes and varieties as well.
It’s important to remember not to place plants in pots that are too big or too small for them. Every plant has different needs. Some may want well-draining pots while others can stand a bit of water staying at the bottom of the pot.
3. Group Containers and Pots
Spreading out the plants gives the impression that there isn’t enough of them. You’ll also have to move around a lot in order to take care of them or water them every day. It will also be easy to accidentally trip them or other untoward incidents.
Grouping them creates a fuller look. The plants can also complement each other to look more beautiful and gives it a little garden-y vibe. Don’t be afraid to mix and match your plants. You can group them by variety, color, species, etc.
Also, take into consideration the needs of the plant in terms of sunlight. Especially during the summer, plants that don’t need too much light may burn if exposed to direct sunlight. Consider placing these plants in a shaded corner of the deck, or you can create shade for it by grouping it with a larger plant.
4. Use Plants to Have Some Privacy
Instead of fences, utilizing plants to have some privacy allows you to feel like you’re still in a garden. Line up some tall shrubs or small trees along the edges of the deck.
Tall flowering plants such as sunflowers or roses could also do the job. However, they could be prone to tilting when they’re too tall. When this happens, consider installing sticks or wires to help them stay up.
Another option is climbing plants. They could grow upwards through a pole. Over time, they can climb this pole, and you’ll have your privacy.
Be Creative and Enjoy!
Plants are great for a person’s well-being. So, more than anything, take time to enjoy this little decorating project. Have fun shopping for pots, containers, and the best plants for your deck. Have fun mixing and matching your plants to create a corner of joy on your deck. These could contribute to maximizing the use of your space, whether they’re for entertaining other people or for taking care of yourself.