How to Build a Courtyard in Your Backyard

Enclose the backyard with fencing as high as local building regulations allow or at least 66 inches high. Consider the house wall as part of the enclosure. Install gates for access as desired.

Make a functional plan for the courtyard. Choose areas for cooking, eating, leisure activities and socializing. Plan the best way to move between each space and the most convenient sequence, such as from the inside of the house to the barbeque then to the seating area. Keep areas clear for smooth circulation. Identify potential locations for planting.

Construct a patio, according to the functional plan, with paving materials compatible with the house architecture or consistent with a theme, such as interlocking brick for a traditional look, concrete for a modern appeal or wood decking for a rustic or casual feel. Install at grade or in levels suitable for the topography. Set aside space for a planting bed and curve or angle the patio around it.

Plant trees along the boundary where more privacy is desired. Coordinate the sun/shade requirements and the ultimate size of the tree with the site characteristics when selecting the species. Space trees at regular intervals for a screen or intermittently to create depth.

Dig holes twice as wide as the root ball and as deep as the height of the root ball. Place the trees in the center of the holes with the top of the root ball level with the grade. Back-fill each hole with the excavated soil. Tamp the soil around the tree gently.

Install edging between the patio and the adjacent planting bed with wood or bricks. Shovel soil and amendments into the beds to the recommended depth for the area. Rake the surface so that it slopes to the edging for drainage.

Plant a mixture of evergreen and deciduous shrubs suitable for your climate. Plant tall shrubs, such as lilacs or honeysuckle, in the center of the bed where the patio curves. Plant low shrubs and flowers out to the edge of the bed.

Add plant containers for the patio in areas of high visibility and hanging flower baskets on the fence. Place a self-contained recirculating water feature as part of the setting for plant containers.

Furnish the spaces according to their function, such as cooking and dining. Place comfortable furniture at key locations. Add low-voltage lighting fixtures for evening use.