Creating Your Own Oasis

The past two years have made it very difficult to go on a vacation (or take a break in general). Crowds, complicated international regulations and constantly-changing testing requirements kept us home. It was a newfound frustration; normally we had a getaway at least planned, and with nothing to look forward to, days and weeks turned into a slog.

That changed in Spring 2021, when I started the project of turning our small yard into an oasis of our own. Without much space, I knew it would be tricky, but I needed a chance to get away from the endless monotony of computer screens and spend time outside.

I started with gardening; front yard, back yard, side yard, porch. Anywhere I could keep a plant alive I stuck one. Succulents and aloe plants in the kitchen window, monstera on the bookshelf, fiddle leaf figs in the living room. I even managed to keep an orchid alive for a few months. Then I moved to fake plants where I knew we couldn’t sustain life; a floral wreath for our porch, fake plants where there wasn’t any natural light. I then added rose bushes on both sides of the house, tropical ferns where the irrigation system wouldn’t reach, and a hefty amount of mulch to tie it all together.

I then looked at what we needed to do to enjoy the outside space more. As a fair-skinned Irish girl in Texas, I knew we needed to take advantage of shade whenever possible. We added a table and umbrella to the outdoor eating area on our back deck, and since our front porch was covered, adding rocking chairs and a sectional created the feeling of an outdoor living room - a place where I often end up when working from home. We found items slowly over time, making good use of sales whenever possible. Throw pillows and the ottoman came from Target at a steep discount, and the assemble-yourself furniture was affordable and has held up well to the use and the elements.

For reading outside, we recently purchased a hammock, and in the late afternoon our neighbor’s house shades the yard so it is a wonderful place to catch up on calls or emails when I get home from the office. It was less than $100 on Amazon.

For the brutal summer, I knew I needed a pool. Our small, L-shaped yard wouldn’t allow for a stock tank pool or hot tub, and after puncturing a few inflatable pools, we went with a PVC pool by Intex and it is a lifesaver. The cover keeps it warm and the pump keeps it clean, and it is big enough I can float around in full-size rafts and tubes. We added two lounge chairs and a small table at the end of the yard near the pool so we could take advantage of another seating area, and I’m working now to improve the grass. I don’t worry about puncturing and it works even though our yard isn’t entirely level. So long as the winters are mild, I’ll be able to keep it up year-round too, which makes it even more convenient.

What I found after building out these outdoor spaces is that there is much more livable space than just want is inside of our home. These areas provide relaxation and sunshine and a chance to take a deep breath and calm down. I find myself leaving work a bit earlier than I used to so I can catch the last few moments of sunshine in the pool, and I end up reading more books because I am away from the screens.

While I know this isn’t an option for everyone, there are ways to create small staycations or little areas of joy in every home, and I hope you find your own oasis.