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 Tips
for transforming a patio, balcony or deck into an outdoor oasis
By Melinda Myers
[April 18, 2026]
You don’t need much space to create a bit of paradise on your
balcony, patio or deck. Fill the space with a collection of plants
that provide texture, color, and privacy. Then add comfortable
seating, a fountain and lighting for additional ambiance and
relaxation.
Start by evaluating the space you want to transform and how the
surrounding views and noise will impact your enjoyment. Before
enclosing the whole space, identify the views you need to screen and
those you want to keep. Perhaps a view of your favorite flower
garden, the park across the street or your neighbor’s water feature
extends your enjoyment beyond the limits of your garden oasis. |
Use tall grasses, large tropical
plants, vines trained on trellises and upright shrubs and trees to
define the space. These can be grown in weather-proof containers if
no in-ground planting space is available. Just make sure your
balcony or deck can handle the weight of the planters once filled
with soil and plants.
Select plants that provide multiple benefits. Look for plants that
deliver several seasons of beauty with flowers, colorful foliage,
seedheads and fall color. Include fragrant plants for aromatherapy
and those that attract butterflies and hummingbirds to add motion
and color.
Decide how you plan to use the space. Are you longing for a quiet
area to relax and read, one to entertain or a space to accommodate
all your outdoor activities? Select furnishings with the color,
form, and style that will create your desired look and feel. Then
select plants, containers and accessories that complement the
furnishings for your outdoor oasis.
Add a stand-alone or wall-mounted fountain or container water garden
to the space. The sound of moving water helps create a sense of
peace and relaxation, calming the mind, reviving the spirit and
masking noise pollution.
No need to worry about mosquitoes
taking residency in your water feature. Moving water is less
appealing and adding an organic product like Summit® Mosquito Dunks®
to water features prevents mosquitoes from breeding there. Just toss
this donut-shaped cake of Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti)
into the water. This naturally occurring bacteria only kills the
mosquito larvae but doesn’t harm people, pets, fish or wildlife.
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Further reduce mosquito problems by
lighting a few citronella candles and placing them near you and
others enjoying the space. Use a fan to help keep you cool and the
weak-flying mosquitoes away.
Extend your enjoyment into the evening with some lighting. Be
mindful of birds and night-flying insects by using shields to point
light down to the ground instead of into the night sky. Select
lights with lower lumens that aren’t as bright but still provide
sufficient light and ambiance for you. Avoid white and blue light
and opt for amber and yellow greens that are less disruptive to the
birds and night-flying pollinators.
Like any decorating or gardening project, be ready to make needed
adjustments. While fine-tuning your design, be sure to take time to
relax and enjoy your new space.
Melinda Myers has written more than 20 gardening books,
including the Midwest Gardener’s Handbook, 2nd Edition and Small
Space Gardening. She hosts The Great Courses “How to Grow Anything”
instant video and DVD series and the nationally syndicated Melinda’s
Garden Moment TV & radio program. Myers is a columnist and
contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine and was commissioned
by Summit for her expertise to write this article. Myers’ website is www.MelindaMyers.com.
[Photo courtesy of MelindaMyers.com]
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