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Design 101
Spiders, Weeds, Kiddie Pools & Beyond: Arlyn’s Patio Is Ready For a Major Upgrade
I can clearly recall the days of sitting on a concrete step that overlooked my quadplex’s garages with my husband Charles during the pandemic, talking about how much we wished we had our own little outdoor space. We both agreed it didn’t need to be big, just something large enough to be able to have a bistro table, two chairs, and a little privacy. Fast forward to last winter when we were touring potential new places to live. I got so excited when we walked into where we currently live and saw that there was a patio. Yay! I could envision spring afternoons out there, the breeze blowing through the canopy of trees on our street, Evelyn splashing around at a water table.
And while yes, we did use it briefly after moving in (we even bought a blow-up pool for our toddler and she loved it), it quickly got forgotten after the spiders took over. And I’m really not kidding. Trees are wonderful for so many reasons, but what no one tells you about them is that THEY ARE MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING UNITS FOR SPIDERS OF ALL KINDS. I don’t mind an eight-legged creature hanging out, minding its own business in a corner, but these things were everywhere. Every nook, every cranny, all the plants, behind the screen, encircling our house. Nope. I was done.
Even my daughter stopped asking to go out there because she knew the answer was no (sadly). We didn’t want to kill the spiders since, as we all know, they are immensely beneficial to our ecosystem and help with the mosquitos and flies we were bombarded with last summer, so we tried other tactics to at least make our patio less hospitable including peppermint spray and a few other things the internet swore to us would work (they didn’t).
Long story less long, the spiders retreated on their own, likely because of the cold season (is that a thing??), and will probably be back come summer, but I’m SO tired of looking at this overgrown mess of a patio and am determined to reclaim the space *and* my family’s vision of how we would use it.
This patio sits at the front of our townhouse, through the sliding glass doors in our living room, so it’s just a sad sight anytime our curtains are pulled open. Neither my husband nor I have ever needed to know anything about gardening, so we’re both a bit blind to how to tame what’s out there. In typical form, I want to go the route of hiring someone to come out and make the greenery look great, while my “we can learn and do anything we want!” husband wants to watch YouTube videos and start getting his hands dirty. I told him he was going to get bitten by a spider but he didn’t appreciate my negativity.
Whoops, I was supposed to be making this story less long. Anyway, let me just get to why I’m writing this post today: This whole outdoor room needs to look better, and I may be ready to finally tackle it. Let’s take a look and then I can break down some of my design thoughts.
The (Very Sad & Kind Of Embarrassing) Before
Oh boy. This is the view of the patio standing from my living room with the sliding door open. I’m massively embarrassed to say that the down-and-dirty pool has been there since last spring. All the plants and the trellis were here when we moved in, and nothing has been groomed in the last year. Woof!
This is exactly what I see from my sofa, yes, including the old hose we don’t even use because I bought a better more flexible hose shortly after we moved in and we couldn’t be bothered to get rid of the previous one. ::eye roll at myself:: The tease of that vine climbing the stone wall gives me hopes that we could encourage the ivy somehow to take further hold and eventually fully cover the wall. Wouldn’t that be SO charming? Everything else here needs a serious trim, and some things could probably just be taken out and planted somewhere else. There are some terra cotta pots pushed into the overgrowth (also there before we moved in), which gave me an idea of maybe going more the potted garden route than whatever you would call this.
This is to the right of the steps up into the living room where the house is. This whole space has three different floors. Concrete slab, concrete pavers, and one is a section of weird brick. Like…what happened here?? If this were a place I owned, I’d definitely rip all this out and do something else, but we’re renting so a bandaid solution is more in line with what is appropriate. I’d love to add a pretty potting bench both to give me a space to re-pot things (I currently do it in the garage and make a big mess), but also it would aesthetically be pleasing to me. On the wall of the door, I’d love to have a dwarf Meyer lemon tree as citrus plants do really well in this climate and they are all over the neighborhood. Plus, lemon trees need good sunlight and this is the only spot in the whole patio that gets it.
And you can’t see it here, but high above the hose is a broken outdoor sconce, which means there is no light out here, leaving it useless after sunset. To be honest, we probably wouldn’t do much out here at night anyway, because my daughter’s bedroom window faces out to the patio and she’s a light sleeper so it would be more for daytime use though the idea of some kind of lighting would be nice as an option.
A (Rough Estimate) Floor Plan
I realize the photos don’t do a great job of making visual sense of the space, so I went out one day during my daughter’s nap and did the world’s laziest measure. Mostly, I just didn’t want to get too close to any of the plants because…spiders. I don’t think these numbers are too far off, but let’s not call it an exact model, mkay? It’s a “close enough” floor plan.
The bottom is the wall that houses the sliding glass doors and leads inside. There is a set of concrete steps down. All the green area above is the planter area. While it’s not a sprawling oasis, it’s definitely large enough to accommodate a small bistro set, the potting bench I mentioned wanting, another tree, some pretty pots and some kind of fun outdoor activity for my daughter like a water table or even her pool (if we can muster the energy to deflate it and put it away when we’re done…can’t make any promises).
Let’s Get to the Design Part, Shall We?
Okay, now it’s time to talk about aesthetics. I’ve shown you the skeleton in my figurative closet, and now it’s time to clean it up and redesign the closet. Buh-bye skeleton. TBH, I’m completely at a loss as to what I want the room to look now, but I can tell you how I want it to feel: charming, happy, calm with a little bit of Parisian balcony-meets-English-garden vibes. I don’t want anything too designed or overly polished. Oh, and I also do not want to spend a lot of money on this. You know…in case the spiders come back in full force and we have to abandon it for another year.
One of the first things I ask anyone who requests my help with designing a space is: “How do you envision using the space and how do you want it to feel?” Since I already have the second part of that question answered, I’ll chew on the first part. Charles and I would love a little spot to sit, have a marg or coffee/tea, and watch Evelyn blow bubbles or make a whole mess with water and sidewalk chalk. That’s kind of it. Simple, surely. The tricky part is this is visible from my living room as I mentioned, so it has to vibe with what’s going on in there (or will eventually go on in there since I’m mentally working on that room, too). It needs to be neutral enough to play nice, but punchy enough to make sense with my design aesthetic.
Since I didn’t really know where to start and I didn’t have a backlog of inspiration photos as I normally do to pull from, I went back to study some of the outdoor rooms some of my EHD crew has put together over the years. And they all have one thing in common: they’re pretty neutral. In fact, after I found a hidden Pinterest folder of mine with pretty outdoor spaces, I realized I mostly Pinned patios and balconies and backyards where the furniture fell back stylistically (meaning, it didn’t steal attention) and the nature surrounding them was the star. There is plenty of greenery where I live, and I certainly want that to be prominent.
I loved this outdoor space since the first second I saw the photos roll in years ago when I still worked full-time at EHD. There’s something very Nancy Meyer’s 1998 Parent Trap about it for some reason. All it’s missing is Lindsay Lohan as Hallie and Lindsay Lohan as Annie up to some antics, and Chessy offering someone a bowl of chili with cornbread (by the way, I ALWAYS thought it was Jessie, and only realized deep into my 30s that it was Chessy…who’s with me??).
Ahhh…America’s patio. UGH, this outdoor room in Emily’s old Los Feliz house was absolutely magical. It was even better in person. Sure, the encaustic tiles played a huge role but in general, I just love how eclectic, charming, and not overly groomed it feels. All the furniture is neutral, there are some pretty string lights, and the roses and trees are the stars.
Jess’ beautiful little Parisian-inspired balcony is just perfect and I’d be happy with something similar. I love the mix of pots, the vintage bistro set, and the checkerboard deck tiles.
Caitlin’s balcony manages to feel eclectic and quirky (just like her!) without adding too much of any color or pattern. The cabana stripe curtain is bold and I would love to find an opportunity to bring that into my space, too.
This is no one’s space I know, but speaking of cabana stripes!!!!!!!! I’m dead at this. I love the mint contrast piping, the pink and red bench cushion, the wild plantings, the overhead trellis. Obsessed. It’s hard to know whether seeing something in this style adjacent to my living room would make sense, but thinking of adding a small cushion to the chairs or bench I decide on. Hmm…
A Trio of Ideas: Neutral Vs. Playful Vs. Modern(ish)
While I could quickly decide on some neutral pieces and pull the space together, my mind couldn’t help but toy around with some other options. Three, to be exact. My heart is split between quiet and natural, something a little more playful and colorful, or something kind of modern and cool. I love all three of them, though I am leaning in a direction. Let’s take a look at what I found:
Potting Bench | Decking Tiles | String Lights | Table Lamp | Table | Bench | Rug
I really do think this setup is something that reads kind of boring on paper but would be very pretty and calm and serene in real life. Especially if I can get those vines to cooperate and grow along the wall. String lights strung along the stone (or hung overhead), warm teak decking tiles to unify the ground, and maybe even an outdoor rug (though I’m not totally convinced). And can’t forget the lemon tree and potting bench on the other side. I could even mix in a cabana stripe lumbar pillow for when we’re out there using the bench (but then I’d have to figure out where to store it and I kind of don’t want to).
Potting Bench | Deck Tiles – Beige | Deck Tiles – Dark Gray | Umbrella | Table Lamp | Water Table | Table | String Lights | Chair
This moodboard has “Arlyn” written all over it, don’t you think? I love it. It’s a little funky, a little vintage, a little cool, and modern. And just look at that gorgeous water table! We have one already in the garage that our dear friends found for us for free, but I couldn’t help but pull this adorable version into a moodboard. Let’s talk about what I love here: the yellow metal chair, the pedestal bistro table that begs to have thick hot chocolate with bowls of whipped cream enjoyed on it, and the vintage potting bench that I envision having dripping pothos all over. The red stripe patio umbrella is subtle in comparison to a cabana stripe, but the fringe keeps it flirty. Also, I think this is a beach umbrella, so…I might have to go back to the drawing table.
Here is a question for anyone who lives in spider territory and also has a patio umbrella: Will this inevitably just become a penthouse apartment for black widows?
IKEA sells cream and dark gray deck tiles that I could easily pair together to create a checkerboard floor (without the headache Jess gave herself of having to paint hers), and I love this. I wouldn’t want to cover any part of it with a rug, I don’t think.
Potting Bench | Rug | String Lights | Terracotta Pots | Table Lamp | Table | | Chair | Deck Tiles
This one took a while to come together for me. I fell in love with those Sarah Sherman Samuel for Lulu & Georgia outdoor chairs, and I knew I wanted to try something with more red mixed in, but I couldn’t get it quite right. I’m not convinced this is quite right either, but I do love it and think it would make a lot of sense as an extension of my living room. I went with a solid floor here to not compete with the chair fabric or the lovely rug and I think it’s pretty sleek looking. I also have the idea of sourcing a bunch of vintage terra-cotta pots and sprinkling those around rather than having everything in the planter space.
I realize that I would be fairly happy if any of these moodboards came to life. Any of these would be leaps and bounds of improvement over what’s happening out there now (which is nothing but weeds). So it’s just about choosing a direction and then bringing it to fruition.
For anyone out there reading who knows me aesthetically, and can remember my home—though you would be correct if you said you haven’t seen much of my new one—which do you think is the best style direction to go in? I’d love to hear from you, and also, if you have any beautiful small, charming patio inspiration you are hoarding, could you drop them into the comments for me to see? Maybe I’ll start from scratch, maybe I’ll keep playing with one or two of these, maybe I’ll just go vintage shopping and see what I find. Designing a room without totally knowing what you want is like trying to decide on takeout and not craving anything. I can let it simmer a little longer, but I also don’t want to miss the shopping window of outdoor retail season, you know?
Can’t wait to hear your thoughts.
See you next time!
Your friend in indecision, Arlyn
Opening Image Credits: Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp | From: 5 Outdoor Ideas & Hacks That’ll Instantly Add Style
I appreciate your before pics (it’s so honest – I have dirty toddler toys on my deck also!) and I love your plans for the after, which ever furniture you buy. I’m not sure how much rain you get in your area – but anything I leave on my deck gets hit by the elements. So I would just make sure whatever you ultimately decide on is durable and can stand up to three days of rain, extreme wind, etc. I bought a table for our deck two years ago and it has not held up well!
When you say spiders, do you really mean black widow spiders???
Late to the party, perhaps others have suggested powerwashing. Give it a go, it’s slow but will freshion up all your hardscape. Also the big box stores have bamboo fencing in rolls. I sprayed both sides of it with a strong Dawn soap solution and it seemed to deter the spiders. I lined our window wells with the fencing to improve the view. You could try some grasses in your planter pots-soften the look, interact with the wind.
My first thought too, was to power wash the walls. It will make a huge difference.
If you are worried about spiders I’d think twice about the deck tiles. I think they would make the perfect hiding place for all sorts of creepy crawlies.
The deck tiles definitely sound like Spring Break for Spiders (Panama City, Fort Meyers and Padre Island all rolled into one).
Yeap, I had some and was horrify to see what lived underneath there when I pulled them out, do not do it.
Two thoughts. 1) vines are pretty but also rat havens. If you don’t want to share your space with spiders AND rats I’d suggest something else. 2) maybe just me but I’ve tried using outdoor rugs a few times and they always get so filthy I end up tossing them. Would go for a hard surface for sure
We live in a big city, have tons of vines, and do not have a rat issue. I think containment of garbage is the key to keeping rodents at bay. So if you have trash under control, I wouldn’t let that be a big concern.
Also live in LA and trash isn’t what attracts the vermin. They love the vines and fruit trees. We’ve just learned to cohabitate. Black widows are a real thing in So CA. Get out your broom and sweep areas regularly.
Forgot to say: LOVE the Playful & Eclectic mood board and that water table is dreamy! Wish it was around when my kids were little. Just remember to check the underside of the toys from time to time for the creepy crawlers. Black widows tend to come out at night. If we don’t disturb them, they don’t disturb us.
Vines are also a haven for spiders. They have go to to go no matter how charming they are!
How exciting! Outdoor makeovers are my very favorite feature of this site.
Regarding plants, your local extension office will have a lot of information (published online, or you can call their hotline) regarding pollinator-friendly plants you can plant and how to maintain them. What to plant depends on your region and your preferences but you can easily put in native plants to help sustain the local insect population. There may be an arboretum nearby that has a spring native plant sale, which can be fun. Your daughter can help plant and water, and/or have her own little flowerpots with her own plants – it’s a great way to introduce her to gardening.
When you choose a bistro set, I strongly recommend getting comfortable chairs that are also cute vs. choosing for aesthetic only – your time on the patio will be much better if the seating is useful and not only decorative. Your daughter might enjoy a small chair of her own, too!
Preschool teacher here. What about a tiny mud kitchen for the baby? The kids at my school LOVE ours.
Now I need to know what a mud kitchen is!!!
Hi Arlyn! Love the inspo pics you posted! Even though I live up North where black widows aren’t a thing, we did scrap out patio umbrella because it was getting filled with webs and garden spiders. The tiles seem like a great idea, but a spider Haven too. I love the idea of a potted garden, and am planning one for my cabin balcony this summer! Monty Don is a great resource for lemon tree planters in particular, so your Meyer can really thrive! How much sun does the patio get, really? I didn’t read which direction it faces. That can have a big influence on which plants you put in. Lavender would be great, in big pots, for turning away those pests! Can’t wait for a reveal ?.
I came on here to suggest watching Monty Don’s Big Dreams, Small Spaces show (it was on Netflix several years ago when I watched, not sure if it still is now). He’s a great resource for gardeners – beginners and professional alike.
I know this will turn out amazing because all of Arlyn’s designs do but my two cents – either you are a garden person or you are not. While I love the IDEA of a garden I actually have realised I hate gardening the act – if that’s you go to the garden centre, be honest and ask them what you should get that is low/no maintenance. I have lots of pretty trees which are easy to maintain once established and that’s about it! That includes furniture that is easy to keep spider free, because anything that is slightly wrought irony/gappy will be full of spiders and cobwebs so you want something you can brush/hose down. And things that won’t “go bad” if you accidentally forget to bring them in when it rains.
(I’m a bit concerned about the spider situation….are there meant to be that many spiders in California?)
Pretty sure anywhere that doesn’t get below freezing faces, unless there is a constant wind? I’ve heard the Caribbean islands don’t have as many bugs because of the constant breeze. Although they certainly have spiders so not sure what they eat? Although hard freeze only buys you some months of peace as where I’ve lived, in Minnesota and Michigan, spiders are the typical lake house/boat maintenance pain point in the summer.
I can’t help but think that this is why so many warm weather “yards” are mostly concrete?
We live in California in the Bay Area. We had a full yard of ivy and got rid of it due to the critters/spiders/snakes in it. UGH. Replaned with natives and vines and the insects are seemingly in retreat now. The spiders are more attracted to the patio furniture and house so not sure why, We learned a long time ago to use gloves when turning over hard objects in case there are black widows there. They are a ‘thing’ but not really anything super bothersome here.
Spiders hate lavender. Plant lots and lots of lavender in your beds and pots, and it may help! Can’t hurt, and is lovely in the garden. Other herbs that they don’t love are things with a strong smell like basil, mint, lemon balm, etc. (If you’re planting mint, keep it in a container or it might take over!)
Yes. And do you have enough sun to grow lavender?
I might be a spider bc I also hate lavender, so much! It doesn’t trigger any allergies, I just hate the smell. What can folks like me plant instead? I’ve never found a good suggestion in books or websites, the lavender-lovers are a super majority in gardening circles! :) (I’m in SE USA, fyi)
Citronella
Oh Arlyn they are all beautiful!! The third is surprisingly (to me) my favourite but they are all great! The first one feels the most durable to me though? No cushions to fuss with, yet everything looks comfy to lounge on without and all the materials seem pretty rain resistant. That would be my qualms about the second (though very beautiful!) option – the yellow chairs are beautiful but how does your butt feel after sitting on them? Would you have to cover/store the umbrella in cases of frequent rain? Then againg if you are not planning to sit there often, because of the spiders and would rather have something pretty to look at I’d say go with option 2 – those pretty and punchy chairs will definitely be a joy to look at! It sounds like the spiders are your real problem… Have you talked to any neighbors about this how they are dealing with it? Does your city have any reccommodations? Are the spiders where you live actually dangerous or just annoying and maybe you’d get used to after a while if you had a pretty enough space to entice you to go outside (though it certainly sounds… Read more »
Hi! Fellow icky patio owner! Sadly, with your bug problems, I would ditch the floor tiles. They will be lovely shady/moist homes for all the mosquitos and larvae and spiders you could ever imagine. I’d even go slow on the rug department. (I know you’re in CA, but I’d really scrutinize the moisture you’re getting and if this rug will sit wet for days and bloom with mold underneath). I’d also (sorry!) rip out all those plants. They’re not cute, and spiders *love* ivy. There are lots of other climbers, though. There are a ton of ways to find plants exactly for your site, like Pop in your zone and your (true/observed) hours of sunlight, and your willingness to water daily all summer, and you’ll find options. Think about poisoning risk, too, with your lil one. A lot of plants are bad if ingested, and I would never plant things like foxgloves or lily of the valley in a kid-accessed space. I also recommend testing a variety of small perennials in your plot for a season to see how they do. Then go big on the strongest survivors. This looks like a pretty damp/shady area all things considered. You can… Read more »
Good to mention the poisoning risk of plants with little ones around. My son went through a flower eating phase. Luckily geraniums are OK. We looked at a house with oleander in the back yard and it was a hard no.
I’d say your instinct to go with potted plants is a good one – among other things, it means that you can take your favorite plants with you if you move to a different place. I’ve had small garden areas like this before, and not adding soil improvement to the task list seems like a good strategy. When I look at that nice blue painted gate, your second eclectic choice seems like it would be especially nice. Plus, both the table and chair look sturdy and weather proof. If you had a pressure spray nozzle to the end of your good hose a small person could have a lot of fun spraying dust, etc. off the furniture. Spiders: you are right to not try to eradicate them, but I suspect that not giving them a lot of spots to be undisturbed is desirable. Every state, county, and sizable city has help for homeowners with their gardens. I looked for California, here are two links: and You might be able to get someone like a Master Gardener to come out and give you suggestions on plants, safe pest control, etc. Maybe put deck tiles and rugs on hold until you know… Read more »
I’m so sorry to say this, because I know the feel you are going for, but vines are nothing but high rise condos for spiders.
You need to clear EVERYTHING out while the spiders are gone (this is a woman who has repeatedly had to pull English Ivy off our garage’s brick walls). As another commenter said, once everything is pulled out, power wash. Then move in the lovely stand alone items you’ve pinned – the potting table. the bistro set, the water or sand table and a lemon tree (and maybe one other planted tree), hanging lights. Buy a broom you only use to brush down the walls and floor and (gently) the trees, so you can remove the spider webs as the begin to be built (the spiders will go elsewhere if you do it regularly). Then you’ll actually be able to use the space! Get through the next year and see how that goes – much fewer spiders? What are you missing and using/not using? And then decide what is worth doing/buying from there.
You can do this and enjoy your space! I look forward to hearing about how things work out!
Yeah, this is your answer. Spiders aren’t coming from the trees…they’re living in all of those overgrown plants. (That I actually think are so pretty, bummer!) Any of your designs will be beautiful and you can still have a gorgeous patio with potted plants!
I love all your mood boards. I don’t have much experience decorating, but I am a gardener through and through. I recommend you go ahead and get your lemon tree (and maybe a dwarf potted blueberry bush and cherry tomato plant so your daughter can enjoy picking/eating straight from the bush). I have a lemon tree from , but you may have more options to buy locally than I do. Anyway, just getting out there in the patio frequently to tend the plants (and play with the water table) will perhaps help you clarify how you want to decorate the space. Also, osage oranges are supposed to deter spiders without harming them. Look them up–they are quite cool looking chartreuse brain-textured fruits the size and shape of softballs and you can place them all around.
Thanks so much for sharing this link. I’d not come across them before and have some awesome stock. Now I’m dreaming of an enhanced outdoor space!
Go easy on yourself! Life is busy (especially with young kids) and nature is wild! There is so much potential here. I really love your first board, keep the space simple and calming and you can always add fun layers in the future. Definitely get a water table for sure :) they provide hours of fun and so many options (toy washing station, freeze things in blocks of ice to excavate, make potions, etc.) I can’t wait to see what you choose !
I’m not sure I’ve ever commented here, but if you are struggling with spiders and mosquitoes, FTLOG do not cover the wall with ivy. I would tear it out entirely. It’s a known habit for both, and our whole neighborhood is intolerable half the year because of it.
Lots of good ideas here. I agree with everyone who says to clear out the vines/undergrowth. You really want a clean blank slate out there before you begin (I’m staring in horror at that mosquito amusement park that is the pool. Mosquito larvae only need a tiny amount of standing water to make themselves at home). Since you’re in LA, I highly recommend a visit or 3 to the Theodore Payne Foundation, where you will learn about low maintenance native plants that will attract beneficial insects and keep the non-beneficials down. We had front and back-yard patios when we lived in LA, and regular maintenance and smart choices to begin with kept our spaces clean and pest-free.
I don’t know how helpful this will be but here goes. I have a friend who is also a financial advisor. During the first years of Covid, she bought a bug tent at Home Depot. It zips up and is virtually bug proof. Maybe you could design with one of those in mind???
I’m curious to know whether outdoor rugs are really a good idea. They seem to be popular, but I would imagine they get pretty gross and need to be cleaned a lot. Anybody have any experience with this?
It’s highly unlikely to rain in SoCal in summer. So she could put the rug out in April or May and roll it up in October and it’d be fine in terms of getting wet but also might be a good place for spider eggs.
I have some experience and yes I think they are mostly a photo op unless you like cleaning all the time and replacing them annually. Just like rugs do indoors, they collect dust and dirt and hold it. But I think rain, humidity and wind are the main abusers of outdoor rugs.
As someone who lived with a lot of spiders and the bad kind (black widows) I can recommend not using wicker of any kind. Whatever you do use make sure it is easy to turn over and clean with a small brush. I would look into greenery that might help repel spiders, don’t know if that exists but it might. Also if you do have black widows they leave a certain kind of web so you will know if you have one in the yard. They are “staticky” when you touch them, sticky and thick and they like to come out at night! Good luck!!!
I will second all of the concerns about tiles and spiders. Since you are concerned about how everything will appear from the living room, I highly recommend you consider ways to elevate any pots. This is not the best picture, but I had a similar situation where my living room overlooked a small balcony – I assembled and painted three lattice pieces in a bright yellow (zip-tied them to the balcony railing), and then used it to elevate numerous plants, flowers and herbs. I no longer live there, but for three years, it made it possible to see lush flowers from all angles of my living room.
I’m a hardcore gardener & work with homeowners who aren’t gardeners regularly, and I think you should clear out everything that’s already there since it looks like it’s pretty much all weedy invasive species, power wash, and think about a few LARGE dramatic pots with statement plants vs a bunch of little things. will be a lot easier and you’ll still have the mood boosting impact of greenery. I would go to a local independent garden center & ask their advice about what to put in the pots— the amount of light & reflected heat you have will make a big difference in what will work. I would skip the potting bench in favor of some other outdoor storage if needed. And get yourself a small battery operated blower to blast away the spider webs as they appear. I also really recommend getting warm white LED string lights and attach them to an outdoor dimmer— you can adjust the brightness/vibe & program the lights from your phone, which is super convenient.
This is a very good set of ideas. Lots of little pots are so much work! They need watering and fertilizing and the plants need replacing, etc.
I think she wants the potting bench for her indoor plants, as she mentions tending to them in her garage.
I live in southern AZ and we get LOADS of black widows in the fall especially! My main advice re: spider avoidance is that it doesn’t matter what you have out there, the spiders will take over anything that is not getting used/touched frequently. If you are using your outdoor space and their potential homes are being disrupted constantly, they will move on. If you only use the space once every couple of weeks, yes, they will take over any type of furniture/toy/adornment you have out there.
Be sure whatever chairs you pick are comfortable to sit in! Cuteness is nice, but comfort is more important if you are going to use the place. The very square SSSamuel chairs, for instance, do not look comfortable to me. Make sure they are not too high off the ground (that is important to me — my back aches so quickly if I have to stretch my legs to touch the floor…).
Whatever you do, do not encourage the ivy because rats love it in there! Find some other vine, there is a cool ficus vine that will grow on cinder block walls. You do need to figure out how much sun you get and what time of day you get it so you can pick plants and flowers that won’t die on you. Plants in pots dry out quickly so they’ll need water daily especially in the summer, but you can play around with the flowers in the pots and make them as colorful as you want. Black widows like to hang out in dark hidey holes like crawl spaces and in piles of wood, I would not worry about them on your patio. Power washing is so fun and satisfying, take before and after shots.
Like others have said, clean, tidy and pressure wash before making any decisions! I don’t know if ivy harbors spiders but it does encourage rodents (plus, the variegated type you have is extremely tough on the walls). I would rethink the classic bistro table and chairs because they are “tippy”. If the patio isn’t in perfect shape, you could have frequent accidents and topples! What about a water feature – a recirculating burbler to add ambiance (and makes for a great water station!). A large pot with a pump and you’re done. Lavender, while gorgeous and smells lovely, attracts bees/yellow jackets/wasps/hornets and might be a bit off-putting in a small and enclosed space. To fend off mosquitos? A small fan – they can’t fly against any type of breeze. Finally, I would put in a drip system with a timer for your pots and plantings – very easy to do and inexpensive (no special tools required!). It frees you up to leave your garden unattended sometimes. Have fun – it will be beautiful, no doubt!
Seconding the drip system for your pots
Everyone has had great ideas to share. You’ll make it “you” and it will give you so much joy. I’m in favor of tons of potted things that vary height, texture and color. It hasn’t been mentioned, but the proven winners website used to offer good info on plants, combinations that work well together and so forth. I haven’t visited in a while, but it might fuel some ideas.
But also where do you live?? The gardeners among us will want to give you plant suggestions and we can’t without that data. Which, of course, probably you mentioned and I just missed it? I’d take the ivy out altogether. In my experience it’s the ultimate bug resort.
I’m so excited to see how your patio comes together. FWIW, I like option 1. I live a bit north of LA in black widow country. The spiders of all varieties were especially bad last year, probably because of the record rainfall. We usually leave the daddy long legs-type spiders, but last summer they took over our patio to the point that I didn’t want to go outside. The spiders themselves don’t bother me so much, but the webs are unbearable. Spiders do go away for the most part when it’s cold, but they will be back as the weather warms up. Black widows like to live close to the ground, typically on the underside of furniture like tables, chairs, and benches, as well as in ivy and other dense plants (and apparently under bicycle seats!). Their webs are messy and easily recognizable. They tend to come out at night; you might not even see them during the day unless you look for them. While they don’t go out of their way to attack people, they will bite if they are provoked, and you don’t want a curious toddler to get bitten. I suggest removing the ivy and checking under… Read more »
Pressure washing the stones would go a long way.
My two cents: I’m from a spidery place too (red backs and other poisonous varieties). You will need to get rid of them but as someone else said, keep the area clean and sweep regularly (eaves as well) to chase them away and don’t create habitat for them. You don’t need to spray or use chemical means. But you wouldn’t let them live in your house, so they can’t live in your outdoor room and they will if you invite them in. Let them have the undergrowth outside your patio. Think about how you want the space to feel, rather than look. Bistro tables are very pretty but they are not comfy. Fine if you’ve thought it through and that’s your preference but worth considering the joy of squishy outdoor chairs you can relax in with a small table for food and drinks and a couple of big pots with shady, sturdy spider-free plants, such as frangipani (easy to grow and propagate), agaves and other succulents. Fruit trees definitely attract rats and small possums etc which, at least in Australia, can then attract snakes. But still worth it for many people, including me. Think about where you will store outdoor… Read more »
In general, spiders hate activity and disturbance, and black widows are very shy and retiring. They like quiet rock crannies, wood pile, peaceful shady corners, that kind of thing. So I’d start by putting on long gloves and getting serious about trimming and pulling plants and cleaning out everything that’s there. I’d power wash the hard scape and maybe the fence but be careful with fence depending on material. Then I’d stain the fence.
Then I’d do container gardening in bug-deterring plants (not sure the spiders will care, but they’ll miss the food!) and just knock down webs a lot.
100 percent pressure wash the crap out of the space remove all vegetation and if the landlord oks top with a bed of stone dust then pea stone over. If possible cut overhanging limbs and definitely no vines or in ground bushes. I would do a variety of large and medium pots at varying heights with herbs like mint, thyme, sage and lavender plus marigolds and mums will go far in the color and bug repellent department, plus sensory stimulation for your child. I know you don’t want to kill them but diatomaceous earth and borax sprinkled around the perimeter on occasion would possibly reduce them. Regularly remove fallen leaf litter to keep bugs and critters at bay.
This is all great advice. I’m wondering if a couple of wall mounted outdoor fans would keep the spiders from getting too comfortable.
Hi Arlyn, if you want to take a large step toward getting rid of the spiders, get rid of the ivy. That stuff is a spider magnet. You can put in a pretty flowering vine instead but getting rid of that would really help! I liked board 2 – very fun and eclectic for sure!
I also live in SoCal and can attest that some years bring a lot more spiders than others and there were a lot last year. My shadiest patio area is the worst for Black Widows but most of the spiders are harmless. I have a dedicated web broom and go around once a week or so brushing the webs off from any patio furniture (particularly underneath), around the windows, under the eaves, etc. As it gets hotter, they retreat to the shadier areas so that’s why you saw so many. I agree with Caitlin’s comment about elevating pots so they can be seen from inside. It would be nice to actually use the outdoor space but I don’t think there’s anything wrong with just making it look nice from your living room. I also don’t think the existing planting area looks awful. Yes, it’s overgrown and there’s stuff you don’t really want to encourage but if you could get a knowledgable person to help you decide what to keep and what to weed out, it would actually give you a nice head start. And since pots are surely part of the solution, I agree with the other comments that a… Read more »
Avid gardener here and landscaper and can’t wait to see everything come together. I agree with others and would powerwash everything and skip the tiles and rugs. I would group various sizes of terracotta plants to hide any stains or mismatched hardscaping and pick plants that lend to a portager garden…mixing edibles with flowers and herbs. Kids really enjoy digging with their parents and picking their own food. This will also help alleviate the spiders since they don’t care for strong smelling plants. Some ideas for in ground would be nepata, guara, salvia, lavender, fleabane and for planters…any herbs (mint, tarragon, lemon verbeba, thyme), strawberries, ground cherries, peppers, nastrinums. Something about having an edible garden really brings the whole family outdoors. I also agree with other that thick climbers (ivy, climbing hydrangea, etc) are a haven for spiders. If you want climbers, I would recommend something that isn’t so dense (clematis, climbiing roses, etc).
Ivy is a terrible plant for attracting spiders and rats. I would definitely rip it out if possible. Spiders supposedly hate lavender, mums, marigolds ( Mexican or pot marigolds would be so pretty in your yard), basil, mint, rosemary. It seems like herbs and smelly annuals are your friends here. I have a “dwarf” meyer lemon tree. It’s about 20 years old now and about 12 feet high with an 8-10 foot canopy. Yours might stay small in the pot, but it will also be stressed, so be sure to keep it well watered and replace the topsoil annually, then apply a nice layer of compost. Can’t wait to see what you come up with, everything I have seen you do is not just lovely, but thoughtful and personal.
Yay outdoor space! Jumping on the rip everything out train; most of what’s there is invasive, and the ivy especially is a breeding ground for spiders AND mosquitoes (yes, tiger mosquitos can breed in the tiny amount of water trapped in english ivy). Also love the suggestion to put gravel in the planters, and then place pots on top of that for height. There are even vines that grow well in pots (clematis, some varieties of trumpet) so you can integrate the trellis with the pot. Especially nice that you can then take any plants with you when you move!
Can’t wait to see what you come up with, but please consider how easy it is to clean any of the furniture you put out. The cool but homey board avoids squiggly furniture and wicker, which will definitely cut down on the critters! Nothing likes a bi-weekly sweeping so would love to see what you come up with there (sans the rug or floor tiles, shudder!)
I feel like, let nature sing
Last year I also had to make over an overgrown rental garden, and was a first time gardener. I used a plant identification app to figure out what was a weed and what had been planted intentionally before – it was helpful and also very fun! I used iNaturalist, but I think there are a lot
I suggest that you just clean up and power wash and get the pots and furniture and embrace the already there but a little mismatching patio tiles/bricks etc.. Live with it for a while before you decide what to do- it think it might be charming if you let it be charming. As others have said those deck tiles are not the answer! Agree with previous poster that your should really aim for comfort over instagram-ness for the table and chairs so that you actually use the space – keeping it occupied and tidy will do a lot towards conquering the spiders.
This is all great advice. One piece I’d add is that strong colors (like a fire-engine red bistro table) will draw your eye, so if you don’t want to have your eye be constantly pulled outside when you’re sitting inside watching TV, go for more muted versions. I used to have an apartment in dry country east of San Francisco with a great concrete patio overhung by a giant oak tree and surrounded by a tall privacy fence. All the advice about spiders and rats is good – I’d add if you’re thinking about adding a bird feeder (which you haven’t mentioned, I’m just sayin’), it will also attract rats and squirrels. The overhanging tree didn’t attract spiders but it dropped leaves all the time, so leave enough space between things to sweep. This will also help with spiders. I also created a water feature in a large glazed pot by sealing the inside with waterproof paint, plugging the drain hole, and installing a small pump with a cool spitter. If you put in some kind of a platform that birds can land on the birds will come to bathe and drink, which is super fun to watch. It also… Read more »
Love playful and eclectic board, especially since you said it feels so you. Since it is an extension of the living room, it would be fun to have those spaces “talk to each other.” Maybe start with the string lights and see where they lead you.
I have 6 patio umbrellas in the yard and every time I open one I make sure to keep my mouth closed and my head sort of out of range, because there have been several spider encounters upon opening. It always freaks me out, but I love my umbrellas.
As veteran of rental housing with toddlers, from Ireland to Massachusetts to SoCal, I would advocate for a sandbox situation. Coverable , of course, to minimize its use as a litter box. But hours of pleasure without worrying about accidental drowning! Either way, sandbox and/or paddling pool and/or planters, look at tractor supply and their various size stock watering tanks….they have a drain on the bottom, making that part of the whole exercise much easier. Meyer lemons are one of the best citrus plants for containers. There are also specially grafted citrus tres where you can get lemons, limes and oranges all growing on the same tree! I would get rid of the ivy, for all the previously mention reasons. There are some other lovely things you can grow (some of them shade lovers) that I really miss from my days in California..Camellias, gardenias, jasmine, birds of paradise. No ficus of any kind unless in a container, they are totally invasive. We have a really comfortable teak and metal folding bistro set that started life more than 25 years ago in SoCal and is still going strong on the coast of Maine.
So many good options- my advice is go out and look for a piece that you are really excited to enjoy in the space. My experience is that every thing falls into place after that initial start! Looking forward to how it all unfolds.
I have four of these chairs from Target and they are very comfortable. They have a bit of give with your weight, so while they don’t rock exactly, they are just cozy. We don’t take them in and the harsh Nebraska weather hasn’t hurt them yet. You can use them without the thin pad.
Have you bought the children’s book “Aaaaaaaargh Spider!” ? Perfect for your situation and perfect for Evelyn.