What materials should a patio or seating area be made from?

Thinking sensitively about hard landscaped garden areas

Seating areas in gardens for the species Homo sapiens (aka us) are important because they provide a firm area to sit or dine, socialise, work or read outdoors. This connects us with the rest of nature in ways rooms inside our house can’t.

In my patio guide: part one I explored how big a patio should be. Helping everyone think carefully about the size of patio or seating area to minimise hard landscaping for wildlife and water management without compromising on your enjoyment and use.

I would go so far as to say that no patio or decking can be entirely sustainable. There are always trade offs, but you can make decisions that minimise your impact on the planet over time. Compared to an indoor room with walls a roof and heating, a patio or seating area outside can have a minimal impact on the planet - if done correctly.

Here I want to explore some of the better materials...

1) Lawns

Our lawn paths are full of wildflowers, an excellent habitat for many insects and birds to forage