No matter the size, any space can be tweaked to make it more welcoming and desirable to use. This was a tiny courtyard in a condominium complex. With lots of tile and very little growing space, it needed to be a place where the owner and his children could enjoy a backyard barbecue.
The feeling that he wanted was a Mediterranean garden. The exposure is sun for most of the day. The tile floor was a challenge as it can be hot in the summer and a bit slippery in the winter. We chose to cover it with outdoor rugs. We established a seating zone and an eating zone with an inexpensive fountain which gives a calming and cooling ambiance to an otherwise hot space in the summer.
BEFORE
Before 
Before
The existing courtyard was hot and uninviting.
AFTER
Condo courtyard after 
two potted pineapple guava in pots flank the fountain 
a boxwood hedge adds interest 
after
Because it is a condo, we were restricted in what we could plant to soften the institutional look of the fence. We chose an artificial boxwood that could be stapled to the fence. It provides softness, greenery and creates a cooling effect.
(Updated photos are on the way.)
