This Upper East Side townhouse backyard features a bluestone patio, horizontal ipe fencing, and Art Deco vintage patio furniture. Bluestone makes a wonderful natural patio stone surface, but it stains easily. The best solution is to either seal it or clean it regularly using a bucket of hot, soapy water and a long-handled scrub brush. We also sometimes add Softscrub with bleach for better lightening results. The plantings include a shade-tolerant mix of sky pencil hollies, huechera, ferns, cherry laurels, and liriope. The ipe fencing has been oiled to bring out its naturally rich reddish-brown color. Any outdoor wood will turn grey if left untreated.
