A little garden makeover

Southern Living, May 2002 by Riley, Ellen Ruoff

This easy project, which cost less than $600, quickly turned a compact courtyard into a backyard oasis.

When two friends moved into their garden home, the tiny courtyard was anything but beautiful. A crepe myrtle, some straggly grass, a boisterous Lady Banks's rose, and a tiny patio were the only remnants of a fading landscape endeavor. Both Beth Dreiling and Margaret Monroe (now Mrs. William Dickey) longed for an outdoor garden room for entertaining, but they also had a small budget. These young gardeners needed to maximize their dollars and get a big look for their bucks. Walk with us through the process of building this fun, functional, and reasonably priced courtyard garden.

Priorities

A primary issue in any garden design is how the area is going to be used. In Beth and Margaret's courtyard, walls set the parameters. The grass lawn held little interest for them, but additional patio space was important. So they planned flowerbeds to soften the brick walls and frame the remaining area-a planted patio accommodating a table, chairs, and foot traffic.

They also craved the sound of water, so a fountain factored into the scheme. Nestled amid large-leaved foliage on the back wall, it would serve as a focal point in the garden.

Getting Started

After they determined the dimensions for the extended patio, they killed the grass with an herbicide. Beth and Margaret then solicited the help of a strong-bodied, tiller-toting friend to turn the soil and remove turf remnants. Next, they put in stepping-- stones, leaving 4 inches of growing room between them.

They chose specific plants for their garden based on their desire for herbs, cool color, and a lush, tropical look. To carpet the soil between the new patio stones, they selected thyme and oregano for their fast-growing habit and culinary use. They combined those with creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia); its brilliant chartreuse foliage delivers a contrasting textural punch.

Because the flowerbeds get varying degrees of sun exposure, achieving color continuity throughout required thoughtful planning. The brick's rosy pigmentation called for pink and purple flowers, and the watermelon-hued crepe myrtle sealed the deal on color choices. On the sunny side, different shades of pink and white blooms, along with colorful foliage, established a cool color palette. Beth and Margaret trained moonflowers (Ipomoea alba) to climb the wall. These stellar night bloomers bring nocturnal charm and gentle fragrance to evenings in the courtyard. The vines also blanket the solid brick surface with soft foliage, producing the illusion of more space.

They decided to use similar colors across the courtyard. Shade-loving coleus, in both pink and chartreuse, were teamed with white impatiens. The foliage of 'Illustris' elephant's ear (Colocasia esculenta 'Illustris') and white 'Aaron' caladium added texture and filled space rapidly.

Drip, Drop, Splish, Splash

The crowning touch was the cool, inviting sound of falling water. Beth and Margaret chose an old, oval-- shaped galvanized tub as the simple base for their fountain. They then hung a rusty metal trough on the wall above and let water drip into the tub through existing holes. They placed pots of creeping Jenny-known as a water-- lover and land-lubber-in the fountain's top portion. Its cascading green foliage softened the metal's hard edge. Another plus to this courtyard fountain: The area's tight walls amplify its music.

Playful Touches, Design Tricks

Making a small space feel large requires a few tricks.

* Mirrors in old window frames reflect light into the garden. Hung on the shady side's wall, they add dimension and intrigue.

* Shallow terra-cotta bowls top the gate pillars with hot pink mandevilla and 'Blackie' sweet potato (Ipomoea batata 'Blackie') trailing downward. These pots elevate flower color and draw the eye beyond the confines of the walls.

* The blue picnic table and matching benches add accent color.

The Bottom Line

This garden is long on elbow grease and short on cost. With all expenses taken into account, Beth and Margaret spent less than $600 to create their garden-turning a sparse, neglected area into a lush, playful courtyard in a few summer months.