Patio Tour: Classic Courtyard with Pond and Fountain

Lovely Courtyard Patio

The side yard of this home provides the perfect opportunity to turn a nondescript space into a well-used piece of the outdoors. Before the addition of a classic patio and fence, just a 10-foot-wide strip separated the couple's home from the neighbor's driveway. Today, that space is filled with a breakfast nook, pond, and fountain.

Landscape architect James Furr's plans turned the stretch into a classically themed courtyard. To enclose the space, a 7-foot-high fence lines the neighbor's driveway, while a brick wall faces the front yard. At the rear of the courtyard, latticework and a gate open to the backyard. Two sets of French doors--one in the breakfast nook and the other in the dining room--were added to the side of the house.

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Fountain Feature

The homeowners added a pond and fountain to their outdoor room. The fountain acts as a beautiful focal point and also provides soothing sounds for lazy afternoons.

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Raised Flowerbeds

Raised flowerbeds add seating and relieve the monotony of the long, narrow space.

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Garden Courtyard

Blooming vines trail latticework behind each semicircular raised bed. The arch on the brick wall mimics the shape of the beds and gives the outdoor space a sense of continuity.

Large, light-color Spanish flagstone is laid in an irregular pattern. Its mortared surface eliminates the need for weeding, so cleaning is a snap with a broom or hose.

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Finish with Flowers

Black metal artwork adds a focal point and breaks up the courtyard wall's expanse. Instead of an overhead arbor, sun-loving clematis and honeysuckle climb trellises. Colorful blooms fill the bed and additional pots.

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