Plants That Work In A Sitting Garden

Instant Retreat With A DIY Sitting Garden by Plant by Number

Need a place to pause, reflect, or unwind outdoors? The Sitting Garden Plant by Number transforms any sunny spot into a peaceful, well-framed haven designed for relaxing, reading, or connecting with nature. Accent a garden bench, add a hammock, or build a quiet corner around a fire pit with this 18 by 9-foot design! Easily giving you structure, color, and soothing movement for year-round enjoyment.

Crafted by landscape architect Katie Weber, this easy-to-follow layout features layers of plants chosen for beauty, texture, and seasonal interest. Flowering shrubs, graceful grasses, bold foliage, and a Japanese Maple centerpiece offer the perfect backdrop to your favorite reading chair, birdwatching perch, or calming water feature. Designed for USDA zones 5 to 8 in full sun, this garden brings harmony and visual comfort to your outdoor space.

What’s Included in the Sitting Garden Plan

This 18-foot by 9-foot layout is perfect for:

• Surrounding a garden bench or swing
• Framing a fire pit, fountain, or birdbath
• Anchoring a hammock area or meditation space
• Adding structure and beauty to a sunny patio or lawn edge

Your downloadable planting plan includes a complete diagram, spacing guide, and care tips so you can build your own outdoor retreat without hiring a designer.

Selected by our experts and shipped by Nature Hills, this inviting, restful garden includes:

• 1 Japanese Maple for rich burgundy foliage, graceful shape, and dappled shade as it matures
• 3 Dwarf Boxwood for low hedges and evergreen structure throughout the seasons
• 2 smaller Spirea for bright blooms and seasonal color
• 3 Forsythia for bold yellow early spring flowers
• 1 Cordyline Grass for a vertical accent with burgundy foliage (annual in cold zones, perennial in zones 8 and up)
• 3 Sedge Grass for graceful texture and movement
• 3 Catmint for soft lavender-blue blooms and fragrance
• 1 Little Bluestem Grass for upright form and fiery fall tones

Selected by our experts and shipped by Nature Hills, this plant palette offers continuous seasonal change, pollinator-friendly flowers, and a visual rhythm that soothes and surrounds your sitting space.

Step by Step: How to Install a Plant by Number Garden

1. Pick Your Plan: Once your kit and plants arrive, download the Sitting Garden PDF with diagram, plant list, and care instructions
   
   
2. Prep Your Site: Clear the area of weeds and grass and define the bed's shape with soft curves or strong lines
   
   
3. Lay Out the Design: Follow the included diagram to position your plants
   
   
4. Dig and Plant: Dig holes twice as wide as the pot and plant at the same depth
   
   
5. Water and Mulch: Water deeply and apply a 3 to 4-inch layer of arborist mulch to retain moisture and block weeds
   
   
6. Maintain and Enjoy: Follow your guide for pruning, deadheading, and watering, and then sit back and relax in your new favorite spot

Caring for and Maintaining Your Sitting Garden

This restful garden combines easy-care shrubs, grasses, and perennials that require minimal effort to stay beautiful all year.

• Water regularly during the first year using the Finger Test
• Refresh arborist mulch each spring
• Prune Forsythia after blooming in spring, and trim Spirea lightly to shape after flowering
• Trim Catmint after its first flush of blooms to encourage rebloom
• Cut back ornamental grasses like Little Bluestem in late winter
• Japanese Maples need little pruning. Just remove dead or crossing branches in late winter
• Cordyline can be grown in containers and overwintered indoors in zones below 8

A Garden Designed for Stillness

The Sitting Garden by Plant by Number is more than a flower bed. It is an experience. With layered color, structure, movement, and a restful layout, this design creates a beautiful space to slow down and enjoy the outdoors.

When paired with a reading chair, garden bench, water feature, or fire pit, this layout makes your landscape feel like a sanctuary!

Order your Sitting Garden plan today and start planting the peaceful space you’ve been dreaming of. Nature Hills will ship your plants and kit at the proper planting time for your growing zone!