A terrace or patio is usually raised about six inches above the level of the garden. The lawn will thicken, and if the terrace is made flush with the ground, or only an inch or two above it, it will soon be below the level of the grass. This will make it difficult to drain.
Many a terrace was built with a small wall as well and the purpose of the wall is both aesthetic and practical. If the terrace is raised, without a low parapet, there will be something of a feeling that it is floating in space. The wall ties the terrace to the house. Also, a wall or parapet about twenty inches high is useful to sit on, and provides a resting place for glasses and a plate of food.
In our garden make over. An open-work brick wall, eight inches thick, with a flagstone cap one foot wide, is suggested. The one-foot flagstone cap will provide finish and make a ledge of useful width.
Since the house is of unpainted brick, a terrace paved with cut flagstones, or a combination of brick and grayish flagstone, is suggested. This makes a pleasing contrast in material. The terrace should of course be pitched slightly away from the house, so that water drains off into the garden. The level of the terrace in relation to the level of the door-sill into the living room should be studied, so that there is no awkward transition, and no danger of flooding in heavy rains. Leave small openings in the base of the parapet next to the garden to permit a free flow of water.
Paving Informal Areas
Tanbark is used for the path next to the vegetable garden, the play area, and the area north of the terrace. Tanbark is pleasant to look at, comfortable to walk on in wet weather, and an enemy of weeds. Wood chips would also be suitable. Grass would be troublesome to maintain.
