Summer Staycation Patio Makeover with Lowe’s
Recently updated on June 23rd, 2026
Patio season is practically year-round here in Phoenix, Arizona. Whether I’m spending the day outside enjoying our beautiful 70-degree spring and fall weather, relaxing on a summer evening watching a monsoon roll in, or curled up with a blanket and a hot cup of coffee as my kids play in the yard on a crisp 50-degree winter day, everyday is a patio kind of day.
We have no travel plans this summer, and I am kind of more than happy about that! Bring on the home projects, family time, grilling and watching the monsoon rain from our patio.
As a true homebody… a stay-cation is a vacation.
Now let’s transform our patio into a bistro style patio fit for a quaint little bed and breakfast in a small European village. Or, Phoenix.
Shop My Patio Decor:
Classic Wooden Bistro Table Set
The number one thing my patio was lacking was a place to sit and eat. While I have dreams of someday extending our patio to make room for a full al fresco dining area, a cute little bistro set is the perfect solution for now. Actually, more than perfect.
This classic wooden bistro table and chairs set is everything I envisioned for this space! It’s giving “enjoy a crisp sauvy during golden hour whilst wearing a flowy linen dress as the waiter (my husband) brings a bowl of caprese to the table”. …It can be folded and tucked away during rough weather!
72″ Wooden Trellis Planter
Nothing feels more European Patio than Star Jasmine climbing up a beautiful wooden trellis. This 72″ wooden trellis planter fit perfectly in this spot!
Star Jasmine is a fast climber with the most fragrant white flowers. By fragrant, I mean one of the most fragrant flowers you can grow. They bloom late spring here in Phoenix, but always maintain their shiny every-green leaves.
This trellis also came with locking wheels that you can screw onto the bottom feet. I especially appreciate anything with wheels that lock since my small kids are in their “I need to ride upon anything with wheels” phase.
Patio Plants
Plants offer so much life and character to a patio. They are a necessity.
In our new wooden trellis planter we have Star Jasmine starting to climb. I have no doubt she will reach the top by next spring! They are very fast climbers, incredibly fragrant and evergreen.
Next to our Star Jasmine trellis, I planted lemongrass in this beautiful white lattice design planter. Lemongrass is one of the best plants to help repel mosquitos and other bugs (I’ll take an entire lawn, please). It can also be used in homemade teas and cooking. I love the look of tall wild grass, so I can’t wait for this lemongrass to more than double in size!
I also have White Stripe Bougainvillea starting to climb up our patio column. Sooner than later it will reach the top and climb over to the right with a full show of cascading bright white bracts.
Along with our white bougainvillea we have Elephant’s Food and Rosemary.
Elephant’s Food is a hardy succulent that can take our full desert summer sunshine like a champ! In fact, I moved it from my more shaded European Style Container Garden because it needed full on sunshine. It has grown so much within just a few months!
Rosemary is a classic garden staple. Perhaps my favorite herb to grow, because she is so low maintenance, visually interesting and incredibly fragrant! I love the smell of fresh Rosemary on the patio. It’s also wonderful in tea, sparkling water and simmer pots.
Patio Planter Pots
Lowe’s has the best variety of affordable and durable planters that fit any aesthetic! I personally love the look of white stone planters mixed in with faded terracotta pots.
When it comes to container plant survival during our brutal summers, I have had the best luck with resin or plastic pots over any clay, rubber, metal or wooden planters. Plastic and Resin tend to stay cooler and keep moisture in the soil longer than other materials. They are also very durable. Wood planters do stay cool, but I find they deteriorate after a few years because of our heat.
tall fluted white resin planter
faded terracotta planter is an old lowe’s pot circa 2020 (similar one here)
