You want to make your terrace sustainable? Then you've come to the right place! A patio is the stylish, low-maintenance and inviting link between your own four walls and the green garden. It protects against wind and weather and can generally be used all year round.
But how great would it be if we also made it as environmentally friendly as possible? Whether it's flooring, plants, furniture, privacy screens or lighting, whether you're a tenant or owner, whether it's a small veranda, large terrace or cloud-filled roof terrace - there are countless ways to harmonize nature and terrace.
In this article, I would like to give you the most important tips for designing your patio as naturally and sustainably as possible. Let's go!
You can find a brief overview of the advice here in advance:
- Equip terrace with environmentally friendly flooring
- Prefer patio furniture made from sustainable materials
- Versatile use of flower pots on the patio
- DIY raised beds to build your own on the terrace
- Put a durable barbecue on the terrace
- Use a natural wind and privacy screen for the patio area
- Providing minimalist patio lighting
- Installing a natural green patio cover
- Make the terrace as animal-friendly as possible
- Advocating sustainable behavior on the terrace
1. terrace equipped with environmentally friendly flooring
The material for the floor of a sustainable terrace should be as durable as possible and come from certified sources. Experience has shown that the following are particularly suitable Wood and stone.
If you decide to install a wooden deck, you should definitely not energy-intensive thermowood or wood from tropical rainforests (such as acacia, teak, mahogany or wenge). Instead, make sure that your decking boards are made from locally grown wood (in Germany, for example, oak, robinia and larch) and come from certified, sustainable forestry. Also paint them with a ecological wood stainwhich guarantees a long service life of your terrace floor.
Natural stone slabs are somewhat more complex to install, but as a rule, they also represent by far the most durable terrace decking. When choosing, be sure to pay attention to the origin of the material and appropriate Fairtrade seal, like XertifiX, IGEP Natural stone or Fair Stone.
2. prefer patio furniture made from sustainable materials
What applies to the wooden floor also applies to your Patio furniture: when purchasing a patio table, chairs or the Garden lounger the purchase of products of tropical origin wherever possible. High-quality plastic alternatives are a possible alternative.
However, FSC-certified products made from regional woods are a very sustainable alternative. Just as weatherproof as the popular tropical woods, for example, is Robinia wood.
It is particularly sustainable if you choose your furniture for the terrace buy used and upgrade them a bit or even build yourself - for example, from discarded oak planks.
3. use flower pots in a variety of ways on the patio
Whether hanging or standing, you should furnish your sustainable patio with all kinds of plants (especially herbs, fruit and insect-friendly shrubs) in flower pots. They are extremely insect friendly, serve as Privacy screen and are also an enriching one, decorative element.
Herbs
Many Herb species look wonderful, smell good, attract insects and also expand your culinary offer in the climate-friendly cuisine. Here are some herbs that are particularly suitable for growing on the patio:
- Chives
- Rosemary
- Basil
- Cress
- Thyme
- Oregano
- Parsley
- Lemon balm
- …
Book Tip: If you are looking for more knowledge and suitable recipes for climate-friendly cooking, I can recommend our Book "Cooking for the climate" to the heart.
Fruits
With some Fruits you can expand the range in an animal-friendly way and create your own little "snack terrace". The following fruits, for example, can be grown and enjoyed in flower pots:
- Apple
- Strawberries
- Pear
- Gooseberry
- Raspberries
- Blueberries
- …
Insect friendly potted plants
Whether in a window box or in a pot - with the following plants, you'll be doing bees and countless other insects around your eco-friendly patio an extremely big favor:
- Daisies
- Savory
- Lavender
- Sunflowers
- Peppermint
- Thyme
- Sage
- …
4. build DIY raised beds for self-growing on the terrace
In addition to the hanging and standing flower pots, you can also create a slightly larger raised bed that ends at one side of your patio, for example. It can be built quite easily from environmentally friendly, regional wood or even upcycle from old euro pallets.
Depending on what plants you grow in it, your raised bed will then serve as a Food source and insect-friendly, effective privacy screen. Fittingly I can offer you the Book Permaculture for self-supporters where you really learn everything you need to know to grow your own from your patio or garden.
Tip: You can find detailed tips on this in the separate blog article on the Urban Gardening. Vertical farming", which is becoming increasingly popular, can also be a sensible alternative for greening your own patio.
5. place a durable barbecue on the terrace
There is hardly anything more sociable than barbecuing together on the terrace. Of course, you should do without a waste-producing disposable barbecue! But whether charcoal, gas or electric grill makes hardly any difference from an ecological point of view, according to TÜV Rheinland₁. Just make sure that it is as durable as possible and support the Longest possible service life by a suitable cover.
In terms of sustainability, however, it is much more important what you put on the barbecue. For example, more than 15,000 liters of water are used to produce one kilogram of meat. In addition, the Factory farming is largely responsible for the deforestation of the rainforests. In addition to animal suffering, there is also the enormous climate impact. Experiments therefore, avoid grilled food of animal origin as far as possible.
For your next patio barbecue, prefer instead prefer purely vegetable alternatives. Even with a vegan diet, nobody has to go without Steaks, sausages or grilled cheese do without. In addition, countless types of vegetables can also be wonderfully prepared in a grill tray.
Tip: You can find more inspiration for eco-friendly barbecuing in the article on vegan barbecue.
6. use a natural wind and privacy screen for the patio area
A sustainable terrace should of course also Privacy protect the residents - and at the same time as Windbreak serve.
In addition to small potted plants, raised beds, piles of wood, overgrown Stone walls and Privacy fences from the hardware store or large trees, hedges and bushesyou can also use the following for these purposes, sustainable alternatives ready
- Wattle fences (e.g. from willow rods)
- Trellis fruit (e.g. Pear, apple or sour cherry)
- Perennials (e.g., watercress, giant scalehead, or perennial sunflower).
- Grasses (e.g., bamboo, pipe grass, or pole cane).
- …
Above all, the plant privacy screen is particularly sustainable, as it protects both you and countless garden animals. Food provides. In addition, it serves many animals as Shelter.
Tip: I have told you about the sustainable garden privacy screen has written a separate, more detailed article. Take a look!
7. provide minimalist patio lighting
Whether hanging, on the house wall, on the ground or on the roof of your patio, you can create stylish accents and ensure greater safety with the right lighting elements. In terms of sustainability, however, you should make sure that it is a Warm lighting which is deliberately used only where - and only then - it lights up, when it is really needed.
It is necessary to solve the environmental problem of Light pollution (i.e. the brightening of the night sky by artificial light) as much as possible. Above all, bright, permanent light not only costs electricity, but also irritates countless animal species. Especially nocturnal insects orientate themselves in the darkness by the comparably weak light of the stars.
Ideally, you should use LED lamps, ideally with Motion detector. Also Solar lamps are a more environmentally friendly alternative. I can recommend a solar preserving jar. But tea lights in DIY wooden trunks also serve as an original, decorative light source on your own patio, for example.
8. install a natural green patio cover
Classic awnings, patio umbrellas and tents, add-on pavilions, free-standing patio roofs and modern awnings can of course be used as rain or sun protection. However, a particularly sustainable charm is provided by Pergola, which can be overgrown by climbing plants and is generally open at the top.
This allows you to naturally shade your patio - and the overgrown pergola also serves as a privacy screen. The following are particularly suitable Vines. But also Ivy, blue rain, evergreen honeysuckle, roses or Trumpet flowers can close the patio roof quite quickly and turn it into a real eye-catcher.
9. make the terrace as animal-friendly as possible
A sustainable patio is a lively patio that not only delights you and your family, but also the wildlife! For example, use simple means to ensure that birds and insects Food and shelter find
Here are some ideas and tips on how to do it:
- Install insect hotel (build it yourself or buy here*)
- Water plants regularly (e.g. for more biodiversity)
- Provide a bird bath, sand bath and tit dumplings
- Keep wasps away naturally (e.g. with coffee powder or spray bottle)
- Prefer bee friendly plants (e.g. thyme, basil or lavender)
- …
Can you think of any other tips for pet-friendly patio design? Then feel free to drop me a comment with your ideas!
10. advocate sustainable behavior on the terrace
We've talked at length about what you can do to create a truly sustainable patio. But there are also three things you better not dowhich I would like to briefly explain to you here:
- Do not use patio heaters: Whether gas-powered or electric - Unfortunately, radiant heaters are not only expensivebut also very harmful to the climate. They may provide a certain amount of warmth in the short term, but on closer inspection they are an absolute waste of energy.
- Do not use a leaf blower: Leaf blowers and vacuums are not sustainablebut loud, odorous and harmful to the soil. They also frighten wildlife.
- Do not clean your terrace with chemicals: Both wooden and stone decking can be cleaned naturally without the use of chemicals.
What can you do instead? Dress a little thicker in the colder months - and sweep your patio with a commercially available Broom off! You can get rid of resistant green stains with a grout scraper, soft soap, vinegar essence, vinegar cleaner, water, a scrubbing brush and, if necessary, a high-pressure cleaner.
All this also works on a in a gentle, natural way.
Your sustainable terrace in harmony with nature
A patio is so extremely versatile! It can create privacy, enable unique barbecues, be stylishly staged and also provide a food supply for you and other garden dwellers. Why not make it as environmentally friendly as possible?
In this blog article, you have learned the most important tips for a sustainable patio. Whether it's a roof terrace, roof garden, veranda or ground-level outdoor area - implement the advice in a relaxed manner, bit by bit. Then it will be all the more fun! Enjoy the moments on your patio and watch the hustle and bustle - over time, you will come up with many more ideas to make it even more environmentally friendly.
Do you have any questions, further tips or your own experiences with the most environmentally friendly patio design that you would like to share? Then I look forward to your comment!
Stay sustainable,
PS.: How you have your design the entire garden as sustainably as possibleyou will find out in the next blog article. Have fun!
References:
₁ TÜV Rheinland: Life cycle assessment by TÜV Rheinland: Around 20 percent fewer climate-damaging emissions through conscious purchasing of barbecue food (22.06.2015), available at https://www.pressebox.de/pressemitteilung/tuev-rheinland/Oekobilanz-von-TUeV-Rheinland-Rund-20-Prozent-weniger-klimaschaedliche-Emissionen-durch-bewussten-Einkauf-des-Grillguts/boxid/743819. [11.01.2023].
