Even more people these days are choosing cities over the country and cheaper apartment options over big houses is the suburbs. This, however, should not stop anyone from having a quiet corner of nature where they can relax and breathe after a fast-paced day. This is why courtyards have become so important and why landscaping them has become a growing trend.

A courtyard comes with its own unique properties and possibilities and there are many ways to design a courtyard so these properties can be highlighted. A courtyard is either a space between buildings that offers access to many people, for example in a university campus or office building. It could also be within a single building, such as a townhouse, apartment building or outside a hospital room where only certain people have access. The design depends on the type due to varying human activities. A university or office courtyard should provide ample space for people to socialize and adding garden tables and chairs, as well as winding walkways to create private spaces can easily create this. Walkways designed to guide people to different parts or sections of the building can also create a big impact. A courtyard closed from all sides, like a private apartment courtyard or in any residential building, will have limited sunlight and it is thus necessary to determine which plant species will survive and drainage should be well thought out.

In some instances, activity is gravitated towards the centre of a courtyard. For example, when it is used as a dining area, you will find tables and chairs in the middle and it is then good to spiral or grow other elements out of the centre area. Longer stemmed plants preceded by colourful flowerbeds work well in these environments.

Landscaping a courtyard is about "creating beauty in a small space" and this means that attention to detail is extremely important and every small element creates a big impact. An option is to include a platform that allows visitors to enter without awkwardly moving through the yard. This works especially when you want a lot of features and plants to show. When creating pathways, make sure they are not cluttered and that they show off specific features.

Due to space limitations, courtyards usually work better with smaller plants, although some people successfully incorporate larger plants. It is a good idea to grow many plants in smaller containers which ads dimension to the courtyard by utilizing colour, shapes, height and width.d

Courtyards are, in general, very low maintenance and it is easy to choose plants that do not need much upkeep. A courtyard can ultimately be a very successful entertainment location, especially if you take initiative with the design and incorporate something like a barbeque area or even pizza oven. Some courtyards are big enough for decks and with appropriate lighting they can also become ideal for night entertainment.