Here's how your courtyard can shine in magnificent colors

Our neighbors to the south lead by example: if you don't have your own garden, you can simply green your inner courtyard and bring nature right to your home, at least for the summer months. By decoratively and naturally landscaping your courtyard, you not only beautify your immediate surroundings but might also motivate a neighbor or two to join in and celebrate with you. Many neighborhoods have blossomed into friendships this way.

How you green your courtyard depends on several factors: first, whether it's your own house or if you're renting, and second, the available space and light conditions in the courtyard.

If you own the property, larger and more costly measures are economically viable. For example, you could plan to plant one or more trees and create garden beds and borders directly with flowers and perennials. However, especially in courtyards that are concrete or paved, creating such beds can be a major undertaking. It's often more economical to consider raised beds, hanging baskets, pots, and planters. These can house strawberries, culinary herbs, and vegetables just as well as the most beautiful green and flowering plants. If possible, also plan for some seating areas from the beginning to invite neighbors to linger.

To make optimal use of limited space and effectively green up or conceal unsightly building elements, the magic phrase is vertical garden. Clever developers have designed all sorts of solutions that allow your garden to grow easily, quickly, and affordably along a wall. The principle is always the same: planting containers are integrated into a frame that stands freely or against a wall. This keeps the whole setup mobile, so it can be taken with you if you move, and delicate plants can simply be moved to a windowsill before frost. Anything can be planted, from normal flower pots to rain gutters and recycled containers. Often, automatic watering systems are even integrated, making plant care especially easy.

If you don't have space to bring plants indoors for the winter, you can, of course, opt for hardy and fast-growing annual garden flowers. This way, Black-eyed Susan, Tagetes, Sweet William, Sweet Pea, Nasturtium, and many other profusely blooming species can alternate each year.