errace or patio: whatever you call it, most gardens have one. An area of level hard landscaping close to the house is something of a necessity if you want somewhere to put an outdoor dining table and chairs or a garden sofa set, or if you would like a place to cook outside or barbecue. Practically speaking it’s handy to have paving directly outside house doors for taking off wet or muddy shoes, and for those of us minded to fill every available space with plants it’s also the ideal spot to get creative with container displays. When we envisage our gardens and how we might use them, a terrace is very likely to play a key role – where else for those sultry summer evenings beneath strands of twinkling fairy lights, those lazy afternoons with a good book, or the unadulterated pleasure of serving up afternoon tea
