Patio updates ~ House-Pretty

It's finally summer here and I can't tell you how much I love being able to eat outdoors again (I really, really, reaaallly love it).We have such a small house that I really notice - and appreciate - the extra space our patio and yard provide in warmer months.

We've come a long way since we built our patio in August 2013. We added furniture and a DIY painted outdoor rug, built a fence, and added some greenery with transplanted hostas and ferns.

I know small updates run the risk of being boring, but I think it's interesting to see how a space evolves over time. Don't get me wrong, I love big 'before & after' reveals, but they're not always realistic, you know?

That brings me to this year's small patio updates :)

I was so happy to see that my transplants all came back! The ferns are still quite small (young plants tend to 'adjust' better to being transplanted), but they're going to be so lovely as they get bigger and fill in the space between the hostas. Next year!

Adam mulched this area in the spring and extended the pea gravel to the end of the fence. It looks so much better, and it gave us a little spot to put Hannah's sand/water table. I'd love to add some kind of screen to hide the oil tank (the table's cover is leaning on it), but I'm not sure what to do. Nothing that requires setting fence posts, please. Any ideas?

My dad helped me install a clothesline while he was visiting, which I know some people don't like the look of, but they're really popular here, and so much easier on the environment.

Friends picked up an IKEA PS 2014 stool for us on a recent trip to Montreal. It's the perfect side table for our vintage lounger and I love that it can be used for lighting or an extra seat, too.

The nice thing about having trees over our patio is that they're lovely to look at and provide shade. The downside is that they're always dropping leaves and seed pods. I guess now you know what kind of cleaner I am :)

I made the mistake of leaving my planters outside all winter and they of course cracked - oops! Luckily, I have quite the collection. I found the cement planter on the left at HomeSense for a steal.