Early spring is the time to get planning any hard landscaping so that you can get it completed before your plants and flowers take over - and have time for you to add any more planting you might want.
Does your back garden have a need for more seating areas? I've found in my garden that the patio is in the full glare of the sun's rays most of the day, and I'm considering creating a seating area towards the end of the back garden nearer the shade of my hazel tree.
Perhaps you find that your main patio only enjoys direct sun light in the early morning or evening, and that you yearn to take your table and chairs to a different area of the garden where the sun shines at different times of the day.
Or perhaps maybe your back garden is too small for a main patio and you are just looking for a good-looking hardstanding area to place a small table and chair set on.
Creating a small seating area is simple and can certainly make a huge difference to how you will make use of your garden - it may also function as another area to show your containers, and can change all year long as you make use of it to show off seasonal displays. A small seating area is also a god place to add a chiminea to keep you warm on cooler nights. This will extend the amount of time that you can use the area to eat outside.
A good way to make a small seating area is by making use of a paving kit that supplies everything you need to create a shaped paving area - circles and squares are most favored and are available in all types of finishes, from olde-worlde variations to more modern designs. Choose one that really stands apart to create a feature, or decide on a more subtle design that blends effortlessly into your garden. The benefit of these kinds of kits is the fact that everything is supplied ready cut, and there are easy-to-follow instructions. Take your time to be certain you've got a level base to work on prior to starting and you'll be sitting pretty by summer time.