Octagonal basins
The classic Spanish form, set beside an arched entry or centred in the courtyard.
Mediterranean & Spanish
Water in a walled courtyard
The style Pasadena was built for: an enclosed courtyard, whitewashed or stucco walls, a basin in the middle, and the sound doing half the work.
Getting the style right
Andalusian and Spanish Colonial courtyards centre on a low, wide basin rather than a tall tiered piece. The water surface matters more than the height, it reflects the sky and the arcade, and the sound stays soft inside the walls.
Octagonal and quatrefoil basins read as authentically Spanish; a simple round basin with a single pedestal tier suits Tuscan and Italianate houses better. Both work against arched openings, clay tile and wrought iron.
Plant around them the way the originals were planted: citrus in pots, a clipped hedge line, rosemary or lavender spilling over the edge, and terra cotta rather than anything glossy.
Tiered courtyard pieces
A pedestal tier for houses that can carry the extra height without crowding the space.
Terra cotta around it
Ribbed and rolled-rim pots with citrus and herbs to complete the courtyard.
Good to know
- Sound in a courtyard
- Walls amplify. A quieter fountain than you'd choose in an open yard is usually right.
- Placement
- Centre it on an axis, a door, an arch, a path. Off-centre reads as an accident.
- Tile
- Tiled surrounds can be built in with the hardscape. Decide before the courtyard is paved.
- Scale
- Low and wide beats tall and narrow in an enclosed space. Bring the courtyard dimensions.
See it in person
Everything is on the yard at Jardin
170 S Kinneloa Ave, Pasadena, CA 91107. Walk the yard, measure the pieces, and mention JARDIN at the counter so the team knows the website sent you.
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