Outdoor spaces that really shine are created over time, with lots of care and attention to detail. One of our clients in the Butler Tarkington area worked with us on their landscape for over fifteen years, and we have slowly been shaping their outdoor spaces to fit perfectly with their home and vision. The house has a lot of character to work with. An interesting feature of the property is that its entrance is enclosed by free-standing walls, forming a courtyard space. Our client wanted to transform this area into an Asian-themed garden.

Our client wanted to set a relaxed mood in the courtyard, which carried on into the entrance of the house itself. Not only would this be a calm space to view from the inside, but someone first entering the house would be greeted by this quiet, artistic courtyard garden.

We incorporated elements of Zen through our choice of plants and use of stone. The path to the front door cuts the courtyard in half. On one side we planted a Japanese maple tree as well as pachysandra, an evergreen ground-cover plant that filled the space nicely. On the other side we planted hosta and an oak-leaf hydrangea. These plants are all low-maintenance, which was one of our clients’ requirements for their landscaping.

What unifies the garden is the use of stones. We laid a blue stone path leading from one side of the courtyard to the other, joining the two spaces. With the Japanese maple, we placed a stone fountain and a polished stone bench; echoing it on the other side is a bird bath and rock dish garden. To bring in the element of water, we hung chains from the gutters to direct the flow of rain water. The fountain also offers a trickling water sound. The end result was an enclosed space in the middle of Butler Tarkington to commune with nature.

When a client is looking to incorporate a specific theme into a landscape, we are there to help with decisions and keeping the overall design of the landscape flowing. Hodgepodge designs are not attractive, and spaces with different themes need to have transitions between them so they fit well together. The courtyard however was naturally broken up into separate spaces, and therefore it was a lot easier to bring in an Asian theme without having to worry too much about transitions. Instead, the Zen-inspired courtyard garden became its own room for the house!

What themes have you incorporated into your landscape? Share a comment with us below.