Spring Patio Cleanup

As spring approaches -in reality it's practically here, I have been itching to get the rear patio and garden spruced and looking good. 

Over the winter, a bit of algae grows on the concrete, especially in the most shady spots. Last year I bought a cheap-o power washer, which previously worked great for this job but predictably conked out when I hauled it out of the garage last week. Grrrrrrr. Determined to just get the job done, I resorted to good old elbow grease with a coarse brush and a bit of chlorine. I don't think I'll be buying another washer, to be honest it bugged me to have to store the thing in the garage where space is at a premium. 

Also as part of this job, I planted two smallish olive trees in large pots, moved down from the roof deck, also moved some potted feather grass, scrubbed the table and rearranged the thyme pots which have lasted through the winter. Over the summer, I'd like to add to my little collection of succulents potted in ceramics made by my older son.

A keen eye might notice that the cushions are a different color. Yes! I recovered those this winter. They used to be tan and were looking more than a bit ratty. 

I must say, the recovering project was a bit of a bear as the cushions have all these cutouts to fit around the arms and I used Sunbrella fabric which, I discovered, is somewhat tricky to sew. That said, I'm super glad I did it myself because replacement cushions are ridiculously expensive. And, for honest blogging, I've discovered that pollen can be quite visible on navy but nothing that can't be easily brushed off. Same thing with cat and dog hair :-/ Despite these considerations, I still think navy is the best choice over all for the abuse these cushions suffer.

Lastly, I feel that the area could use a few more medium sized pots or pot clusters to feel a little bit more lush. I definitely sway back and forth between minimalist vs exuberant patio vibes.  

Peace and LOve and happy gardening.