Digger Diaries | September-October

9 Easy Ways to Create Peaceful Outdoor Spaces This Fall

Two chairs and a table can make an inviting sitting area. Add a glass of wine and enjoy.

Spider lilies are up, and school’s back in. That means the crisp air of fall is around the corner. Next thing we know, life drifts back outdoors: Dinner is served on the deck, stories are shared around crackling firepits, and peaceful moments are stolen on porch nooks.

That’s why the best gardens aren’t just groupings of beautiful plants. They have places for people to discover, gather, or escape to.

As we were scanning for easy ways to add more peaceful outdoor spaces to our own yards this fall, we noticed a surprising trend: The settings that drew us in the most were surprisingly simple to recreate. So, we’re sharing them with you!

Read on for a peek at our inspiration board. Below each photo, we break down the exact “recipe” it follows to transform an unused backyard corner into a true destination—a place where you can slow down and catch up with your busy family, entertain friends, or simply enjoy a little solitude with a good book and your favorite beverage.

A sitting spot doesn't have to be fancy to be a peaceful spot to relax.

Who wouldn’t want to start the day right here, with a hot cup of coffee? 

When it comes to easy, outdoor spaces, it doesn’t get simpler than this. Because of their chunky proportions, Arirondak-style chairs can stand alone without looking dinky—though we still think they’d look more inviting if they were flanked by equally chunky planters overflowing with seasonal mums!

Thanks to their wide armrests, Adirondack chairs can easily hold a beverage, no side table needed. Chairs like these can be an investment, but they can last a long time (especially if you paint them); and they don’t need any other accessories to look and feel complete. Done, and done! 

Limiting color can create a visually peaceful space.

Here, the magic number is ONE: One color, that is. If you look closely at this patio, you’ll see it’s a hardworking space with many purposes and many different objects: the bamboo stakes supporting homegrown veggies, the short fence to contain the pup, the patio hardscape underneath it all, and finally, the table and chairs. 

In theory, it should look busy—but instead, it feels calm and cohesive. That’s because all these items share a similar light tan tone. If you plan to add a seating area to a hard-working, visually busy space, picking ONE single color just might be the trick you need to try.

It doesn't take a lot to create a cozy spot to sit and enjoy your outdoor space.

Easy as one, two, THREE: One bench, one pillow, and one lantern is all there is at the back of this yard—and yet, it’s more than enough to make us want to walk all the way over there! 

The bench by itself would provide seating functionally, but the outdoor pillow makes it appear comfortable and inviting. The effect would even work without the lantern, but just imagine the flicker of a tea light in there at dusk. If that doesn’t whisper, “come linger over here,” we don’t know what does!

We also can’t help but notice how the path to the bench slightly curves between lush, healthy

perennials. The daylilies and hostas are stunning! Hostas are prized for their value in a shade garden, but this image shows what can happen when hostas get a little more sun—and nutritious soil. We always amend perennial beds with Penick Organics Loamate Soil Enricher to help our flowers put on the showiest blooms possible.

Who doesn't love sitting on the deck at the end of a long day?

SEVEN is the lucky number that makes this seating nook sing! Count—it’s just one pair of planters, a pair of chairs, a pair of pillows, and one side table. Of course, just two chairs and the side table would be technically functional, but look at the photo again. 

If you took away the pair of planters and the lime-green pillows (which beautifully echo the colors in the planter), the teak chairs by themselves would look too drab to say “come, sit a while.” 

Obviously, this photo was taken in the summer, with creeping Jenny and petunias, but for fall you could swap the Creeping Jenny for drapey fig ivy, and use pansies instead of petunias.

We’re also tempted to swap the lime green pillows to a pumpkin shade, and rework the planters with warm-colored coleus, violas, and dusty miller.

Lastly, notice how the planters are perfectly proportioned to the chairs. That’s why they actually help define the seating nook area. If the planters were too small, the space would pack a lot less punch. 

A pop of color can help set the mood for your outdoor space.

Can you just imagine the cheerful conversation that might take place over these bright flowers? Here’s another eye-popping example of how planters—or in this case, one single planter—can make a simple seating area look and feel truly inviting. Again, note the scale of the planter. The top comes above the height of the chairs. A small one just won’t have the same effect. 

When it gets really chilly, you could add throw blankets to the chairs when company comes, to make them extra cozy, and fill the planter with a skinny evergreen (think, a lime-green lemon cypress) for height—almost like a mini Christmas tree. Then, let yellow trailing pansies drape around the base. Hot cider at your place?

A picnic table creates an inviting focal point.

These classic backyard picnic tables are making a comeback, with all things nostalgic. We can’t think of a better way to serve homegrown, roasted butternut squash and pumpkin pie to a crowd. (If you’re growing your veggies in Penick Organics Dan’s Dirt, prepare to have plenty to share!) 

Of course, the fairy lights add so much to the evening ambience. If you don’t have trees to string lights on, you can hang them from your roofline or swag them on a fence.

Hang on! A “destination” doesn’t have to involve furniture—or even take up lots of space. It can be something unexpected that makes you want to walk over and look closer…like this oh so charming teacup hanging from a branch! It couldn’t be more whimsical. Or more simple.

Do you have a branch just begging for a little adornment? You may already have the perfect piece sitting in your cupboard.

You can easily DIY a cute focal point for your seating area.

Say you get inspired by this post and add a seating area to your patio. Then, once you finally sink into your nice, new seat—you suddenly notice the view across the way looks a little lackluster. Not to fret.

Your answer might be as simple as this weekend DIY! We spy four, unfinished two-by-four boards that form the frame, and no fancy cuts! The corners aren’t even mitered; the boards are just nailed on top of one another. 

Next, some heavy-gauge wire appears to be stapled to the frame. Hook on some pots, baskets, and windowboxes—or pot up a climbing rose clematis, or Carolina jessamine in a large container right below it—and voila! 

Don’t forget, plants growing in outdoor containers depend on rich, moisture-retaining soil to look their best—like Digger’s Delight Premium Potting Soil.

The red foliage of this Japanese maple creates a shady spot to sit on a boulder and chill

Speaking of creating a peaceful view, fall is the perfect time to plant a focal tree. A small tree with bright fall foliage might make the perfect focal point for your favorite outdoor seating area. 

Some options we love are Japanese maples (pictured), native flowering dogwoods, and the serviceberry.

In the deep South, trees and shrubs tend to do well when planted in the fall, and nurseries are typically well stocked. To give them the best start possible, mix ⅓ Penick Organics Loamate Soil Enricher with your native soil to balance nutrients and drainage.

That’s it! We hope this roundup of easy ideas for peaceful outdoor spaces will help you bring fall magic and cozy memories to every corner of your yard. 

Dig it? It’s GROW time!