Winter is almost over; the spring is at the door. It is time to rejoice, to make merry. It is the time for the wild flowers to bloom, nestlings to fly about. But, alas! Rapid urbanization has left no place for them to bloom or to nest. Now, the ones that grew wild are cultivated with care in the nurseries and the birds that made nest on top of the trees needs to be provided with birdhouses, birdbaths and birdfeed. These have now become as much a part of our patio décor as outdoor patio furniture or umbrellas.

Make a little place for the birds to nest and to flourish in your patio. Plant some flowering plants too. If you are planning to sow some wild flower in your garden, make sure that the drainage system is adequate. Standing water is enemy of the wild flowers. Moreover, be patient, it takes time to restore the balance that we have destroyed. At the same time, remember, it is your patio. It is for you to sit and enjoy. Therefore buying a set of comfortable outdoor patio furniture is your first priority.

Now, not all furniture is suitable for outdoor use, least of all a wicker set made from natural wicker. Contrary to popular belief, such furniture is for indoor use only. If you have a covered veranda, you can get yourself a natural wicker set. However, for patios and open terraces and gardens, buy all weather wicker furniture. Although they look exactly like natural wicker, they are made from synthetic materials that do not rot or decay.

Most of these furniture are made from plastic or PVC strips woven around aluminum frame and so they are not only weather resistant, but also are light enough to be carried to your favorite corner. A complete sofa set, made from synthetic wicker is about seventy-five pounds. Therefore, such furniture is easy to maneuver and to relocate.  Ideally, all out door patio furniture should be so. That they should be weather resistance is obvious.

Remember, only comfortable loungers and coffee tables do not make a furniture set. If you have barely any space, buy the least, but if you have enough space try wicker dining set too. Some also put up a bar at one corner of the patio so that you can organize parties and bar-be-queues at the shortest notice in your patio.

There are other light and weather resistant materials for making outdoor patio furniture. However, none is as dignified as the wicker. Teak furniture is dignified too, but they are not as portable as wicker. Neither is cast iron furniture. However, whatever your choice of outdoor patio furniture set is, do not forget to throw in some colorful weather resistant patio cushions. They should be made from all weather materials that are also fade resistant. Most sets of course come fitted with such cushions. Adding few more will only make the place merrier.

The outer covering of the patio cushions are generally made from the same material that makes umbrella canopies. These are then filled with poly fill. As umbrella cloth is UV and water resistant, the cushion covers too do not fade easily and become dry in no time. They can always be accidentally drenched. What is more, as they are meant for outdoor use, they become dirty much too often and need a thorough washing. In either way, they become dry before you can say ‘cheese’.

Try to match the patio umbrellas with the patio cushions. However, there is more to a patio umbrella than the color of the canopy. Make sure the frame is strong enough to withstand all the push and pull, both natural and man-made. There are mainly two types of patio umbrellas:
-    Market umbrellas with central pole – Earlier such umbrellas had wooden frames only. Now they can have aluminum, stainless steel or fiberglass frames as well. The central pole generally goes though a hole in the centre of a patio table and it is then secured at a base under the table. However, they can also be erected without the table, but will need heavier base for that.
-    Side post umbrellas – These umbrella frames are generally made with metal frame and have their post at one side instead of centre, so that whole of the shade is useable.

Choose the umbrella with care. Take note of the size too. The biggest patio umbrellas can shade an area of 11’ in diameter. Base the size of the umbrella on the size of your patio table or availability of space. Remember the flowers and the birds. Do not get carried away while shopping for your outdoor patio furniture and other paraphernalia.