A patio is a paved outdoor space adjoining a house or building, typically used for dining, recreation, or gardening. A patio is also known as an outdoor garden or yard and can be a private or semi-private area. In warmer climates, people often eat and entertain in the open air with nothing more than a table surrounded by chairs and perhaps some potted plants.
In colder climates, enclosures are often built to provide windbreaks from prevailing winds and protection from the sun while still allowing views out into the backyard. Common materials used for patios include concrete, stone slabs (flagstone), bricks, tiles, block paving, pavers, cobbles (as in a dry-laid paving finish ), pebbles or gravels.