Courtyard garden design, by definition, is the creation of special garden elements in one or more spaces within a courtyard.  Because courtyards themselves are the most individualized form of outdoor rooms, courtyard garden design features a high level of customization and affords you a tremendous freedom of personal expression.

Such a garden lends life and vitality to what otherwise would be nothing more than a sterile hardscape enclosure.  Sitting in a garden makes you feel like you are connected to the landscape.    Your patio, fountain, and ornamental masonry also begin to look like they are part of the landscape as well—especially when enhance with landscape lighting at night.  Nothing stirs the moment better than luminescent leaves gently stirring in the shadows in the corner of your eye.  Nothing brightens up the day better than greenery and color intermingled with the stone and bricks of masonry. 

It is easier to participate in your own courtyard garden design than you may assume.  We encourage you to read our case histories and see the many examples of gardens we have done for people all over Houston.  Keep in mind that anything you see here can be customized beyond the rigid boundaries of what is traditionally called its “form.” 

This should free you from the trap of trying to force something that already exists on to your own feelings.  Instead, force your feelings onto the mold of another form and redefine it by candidly sharing with us what you want us to do differently in your courtyard. 

Never hesitate to request changes based on your lifestyle and values.  Such honesty serves as creative fuel to our garden designers and enables them to create tangible form out of the intangible raw materials of client dreams and desires.
 
People who are conscious about honoring their home architecture are already on the same page with our philosophy of residential landscaping design.  Our entire approach to a property begins and ends with complimenting the aesthetic of the home.  However, you should not take this burden upon your own shoulders.  It is our responsibility to see to it that what you want in terms of basic design and feeling translates into form that respects and matches your house. 
 
If you choose to sketch out a drawing of what you have in mind, we welcome this.  However, do not push yourself to draw it to scale.  Just draw the basics of what you want to see and make it appear the way you want it to feel.  This, along with some consultation time, will be all we need to understand what is in your heart and mind.  We will redraft it to scale and see to it that it fits as well into the overall landscape master plan. 
 
The types of plants used in courtyard garden design will depend largely on the size of the courtyard.  Smaller courtyards are normally bordered by low-level ground cover or hedges that allow for a partly open view of the Houston landscape.   Smaller plants are also used in these courtyards so that the smaller yards they reside in will appear much larger than they really are.

At the same time, you may actually have a yard that needs to be scaled down in scope and scale in order to prevent your guests from feeling overwhelmed by the vastness of your property.  If this is the case, we would build your courtyard with much taller masonry walls, or we would use some mid-level tree species like Japanese Yew to create an organic wall.  Courtyard garden design would also be done on a much larger scale, with larger, tropical plants, bamboo, and banana trees. 

To make your courtyard garden design a true reflection of you, we encourage you to make a list of all the things you love about your home, and the many thing you love to do indoors.  Think about your favorite colors, decorations, rooms, furnishings, and works of art.  Then, watch our design team work the magic of inversion right before your eyes, as we design outdoor forms that mirror and expand your indoor living experience into a uniquely individual and completely personal experience of Houston outdoor living.