Creating an Inviting and Low-Maintenance Outdoor Oasis

Creating an outdoor oasis full of natural foliage is a great way to promote relaxation and create an inviting atmosphere. If you're short on space, container gardening is the perfect solution. It's inexpensive and easy to maintain, and many trees, vegetables, flowers, and ornamental plants are suitable for containers. This way, you can add greenery and provide fresh produce to your outdoor living space.

If you have a thin urban balcony, you can still make it attractive and inviting. Interlocking tiles or an outdoor rug can warm up a sterile concrete floor. Hanging planters can add greenery without taking up valuable walking space; a trellis or screen can provide privacy and personality; and some small but comfortable furniture might appeal to you. Whatever your style choices, make sure that your exterior design matches your home decor to create a sense of continuity and flow.In the mountains of central Idaho, ecologist and landscape designer Kelley Weston had to consider the fact that spaces facing north and east are unusable in winter and may even be too cold for comfort in summer.

You don't have to turn your entire backyard into a private space; if you want, you can transform just your patio and outdoor kitchen area into a secluded sanctuary. However, once you have that green stripe, it can quickly lose its freshness and become the last place you decorate and the first task you neglect. You can opt for a simple countertop to prepare food, or you can do your best and include other features, such as outdoor cabinets and storage.You might prefer to be inspired by a Japanese garden, closing the space with a bamboo fence and focusing on a relaxing palette of evergreens and mosses; a stone path and a dripping fountain complete the look. Patio furniture is the most important feature of your outdoor living space and you don't need to invest in an expensive set from a home improvement store to ensure you have enough seating space and tables for everyone.

Take advantage of your backyard space and turn it into an area where you and your family want to spend time transforming your outdoor living space. With the hard work done, you can sit back, relax, and enjoy the sights, sounds, and smells of your little piece of the outdoors.With a mix of annual and perennial flowers and greenery, you can make your outdoor living space a beautiful, natural extension of your garden. Some Maryland outdoor kitchens even include a mini-refrigerator and sink for easy cleaning and preparation.Designing an inviting outdoor living area doesn't have to be difficult or time-consuming. With careful planning, thoughtful design choices, and low-maintenance plants, you can create an oasis that is both attractive and inviting.

Whether it's a small urban balcony or a large backyard in the mountains of Idaho, there are plenty of ways to make your outdoor living space comfortable while still keeping it low-maintenance.

Earl Salstrom
Earl Salstrom

Hipster-friendly twitter specialist. Unapologetic sushi lover. Subtly charming travel junkie. Infuriatingly humble travel nerd. Freelance musicaholic. Incurable analyst.