I have wanted to create an outdoor sitting area for about two years now.
Not a second deck or a fancy patio, just a little sitting area IN the garden.
A place where I can appreciate how beautiful my plants are growing and my flowers are blooming.
I already had the perfect little table and two chairs for such an area. Let me show you what I did.
Removing grass to create an outdoor sitting area
The first thing I did was remove more grass. Now, you might think that soon there won’t be any grass left in our yard, but honestly, I would prefer it that way!
I removed the grass by cutting it, with a spade, into strips of about 1 x 6 feet and then rolling it up to be hauled away. This is the same method I used to make all the flowerbeds when I started the garden from scratch (read it here).
I said it before, and I will say it again: this might be the worst job ever!
The pathway that leads from the deck stairs to the side of the house was basically enlarged. A lot! I removed roughly 100sqf of grass.
Preparing the soil
Some people prefer not to go to all that trouble and rather lay down thick layers of newspaper and wait for the grass to die.
Firstly, I am way too impatient to wait that long, and secondly, I prefer to remove all the grassroots and make sure the remaining soil is raked level.
Protect with landscaping fabric
Cover the area with landscaping fabric. The thicker, the better! It’s not foolproof, but it helps a lot in preventing weeds. It also prevents your pea gravel or pebbles from sinking away into the soil.
Cover the area with pea gravel or pebbles
I began adding the gravel along the seams of the landscaping fabric, making sure it was kept down well.
The square yard of gravel I ordered was left in our driveway, and I had to use a wheelbarrow to haul it in little by little.
Not so easy on the back, but it can be done in one afternoon. A rigid steel rake works well to level and spread the gravel.
Enjoy your new outdoor sitting area
After the round table and two chairs were added, my new outdoor seating area was done!
It’s a cozy area that gets the first shade of the afternoon and is also more protected from the wind than the deck area.
The perfect area to unwind with a glass of wine and a cold slice of watermelon after a long day of gardening and yard work.
So easy and so rewarding! This is exactly what I had in mind. Later I may even dress it up with a few string lights and more potted plants. Or a few pumpkins for fall! The possibilities are endless.
