Living in Texas, we spend a lot of the year outdoors. My mom loves her plants, Johnny is great on the grill, and I take any chance I can to host family and friends! All of this and more has made investing in the outdoors a top priority for us. Given how unpredictable weather can be, I do think it’s important to ensure the items you’re putting outside are high quality enough to weather any storms. You probably won’t be able to afford everything at once, and that’s okay – the results, however long they take, will be worth it. And whatever you have in the meantime will still be enjoyable! I hope these backyard oasis ideas, divided into six categories, will inspire you to spend more time outdoors as well.

Seating

Just like indoors, having comfortable seating like this sofa and this hanging chair is so important. In my experience though, it’s harder to find in outdoor furniture. If you can’t test the furniture prior to purchasing, make sure to thoroughly read all the reviews. Also look at the images closely – do you notice any awkward corners or thin cushions? Having bad seating will really discourage you from using your outdoor space.

Shade

Like I said before, we live in Texas, so having an umbrella is a non-negotiable. The price of this umbrella specifically makes that very doable for most spaces! Again, you’ll want to read the reviews to make sure the fabric is durable and there’s no issues with the crank or anything like that. Pay attention to the actual size of the umbrella so you don’t end up with something too big or too small!

Grill

I didn’t know grills could be so beautiful until Johnny got the Traeger Series 34 Pellet Grill. Also, the smoky aroma is actually quite inviting! Johnny has fallen in love with this grill for so many reasons – the temperature gauge and probes make it easy to set it and forget it, it does way more than just grill, and it’s even super easy to clean. From an entertaining perspective, I also think it’s great to be able to prepare your meal outside and serve it to your family and friends fresh instead of missing out on quality time or eating cold food.

Dining

My same advice about finding comfortable seating applies to dining chairs like these as well. That said, contrary to what I said about seating, I do think a matching dining set looks quite nice! I like this table for its simplicity, so if you do end up going with different chairs, everything is still likely to look coordinated. Just make sure that when you measure your space, you account for not only the dining table but how the chairs will fit with them as well – it’s easy for an outdoor space to be cramped and thus uninviting.

Gardening

My mom finds her plants to be incredibly therapeutic, and I highly recommend them for anyone looking for a new hobby and learning opportunity! This is one of those backyard oasis ideas that can be enjoyed in some form almost all year. The barrier to entry is also quite low. In addition to the actual plants obviously, it’s nice to have a durable set of gloves, a watering can, and if you want to move your plants around or decorate a specific space, planters.

Fire Pit

One of the best outdoor oasis ideas has to be the fire pit. So many of the best memories happen around them! They create a wonderful focal point for people to gather around and can be used most seasons, even if you don’t live in the south. A fire pit is also fairly inexpensive considering the amount of ambiance they bring!