When I was a young lad growing up in the Lancashire/Yorkshire we had a patio which started off its life with my family as a truncated cricket pitch. As my interest in plants increased so the pitch became smaller. Eventually for a serious game we had to go to the local park.

Now small gardens and patios can be very, very beautiful indeed, and can contain plants large and small, with bright flowers and exquisite foliage which can be placed to receive sun and shade. With some good quality furniture – say, a small table and some really comfortable chairs – the patio can become one of the most important features of your home, and don’t forget that your visitors are likely to include birds, …..