9 Plant-Filled Courtyards, Light Wells and Indoor-Outdoor Nooks
See how creative planting solutions transform areas that have low light, high walls and other growing challenges
Lauren Dunec Hoang
March 10, 2019
Houzz Editor; landscape designer and former garden editor for Sunset Magazine and in-house designer for Sunset's Editorial Test Garden. Her garden designs have been featured in the Sunset Western Garden Book of Landscaping, Sunset Western Garden Book of Easy-Care Plantings (cover), Inhabitat, and POPSUGAR.
Houzz Editor; landscape designer and former garden editor for Sunset Magazine and... More
Leafy plants added to light wells, interior courtyards, covered balconies and other indoor-outdoor areas can transform blank walls and other bare spaces into enticing garden areas, able to be enjoyed indoors and outside. With varying light exposures and limited growing space, drainage, access for maintenance and more, these transitional zones can be some of the most challenging to plant.
Whether you live in a tight urban apartment or have one or more of these features as part of your home’s design, take a look at the following nine clever designs that feature plants in transitional spaces. Those in mild climates can grow most of these plants outdoors year-round. In cold climates, bring potted plants indoors over winter or grow them in bright, enclosed courtyards.
Whether you live in a tight urban apartment or have one or more of these features as part of your home’s design, take a look at the following nine clever designs that feature plants in transitional spaces. Those in mild climates can grow most of these plants outdoors year-round. In cold climates, bring potted plants indoors over winter or grow them in bright, enclosed courtyards.
1. Light Well in Sydney
This Australian home designed by Home Impact features a narrow light well that spans two stories. Hanging pots filled with exuberant foliage make what could have been a bare space a multilevel living plant display, which can be enjoyed from the dining room, living room and upstairs home office.
This Australian home designed by Home Impact features a narrow light well that spans two stories. Hanging pots filled with exuberant foliage make what could have been a bare space a multilevel living plant display, which can be enjoyed from the dining room, living room and upstairs home office.
From the upper story, one can see a clearer view of the system supporting the planters. The network of pulleys and cables allows for the hanging planters to be lowered or raised to change the design or to access the planters for maintenance. The plants — including mother-in-law’s tongue (Sansevieria sp.), cast iron plant (Aspidistra elatior), mistletoe cactus (Rhipsalis sp.), succulents and others — thrive with little care and stay green year-round.
2. Living Wall in London
Limited floor space and clearance for accordion-style glass doors off the kitchen hindered this walled-off area’s ability to become a garden. Designer Harriet Forde painted the walls of the outdoor terrace charcoal gray — a color that visually recedes and gives the illusion of more space — and installed abundant wall-mounted foliage plants.
Find wall-mounted planters in the Houzz Shop
Limited floor space and clearance for accordion-style glass doors off the kitchen hindered this walled-off area’s ability to become a garden. Designer Harriet Forde painted the walls of the outdoor terrace charcoal gray — a color that visually recedes and gives the illusion of more space — and installed abundant wall-mounted foliage plants.
Find wall-mounted planters in the Houzz Shop
The living walls on the terrace also enhance the interior rooms that look out to the space, bringing views of greenery and a sense of serenity into the home.
A canyon-like setting can be a challenging growing condition. In a single day, for example, plants may be exposed to full sun for a short period and then immediately cast into shadow from walls and nearby buildings. It’s best to work with a designer well-versed in plants and with a practical knowledge of the specific challenges posed by a living wall, such as irrigation and drainage.
Work with a landscape designer on Houzz
A canyon-like setting can be a challenging growing condition. In a single day, for example, plants may be exposed to full sun for a short period and then immediately cast into shadow from walls and nearby buildings. It’s best to work with a designer well-versed in plants and with a practical knowledge of the specific challenges posed by a living wall, such as irrigation and drainage.
Work with a landscape designer on Houzz
3. Covered Entry in California
The areas next to a front, side or back door are some of the most common transitional spaces that are difficult to plant. If these entryways are under overhangs, like this San Francisco Bay Area entry, choose plants that thrive in fairly dark growing conditions.
Here, landscape architect Steven Kikuchi of Kikuchi + Kankel Design Group used a combination of horsetail reed (Equisetum sp.) and carpet-like baby’s tears (Soleirolia soleirolii) to create two modern containers that frame the view of a metal sculpture by Archie Held seen through the foyer.
The areas next to a front, side or back door are some of the most common transitional spaces that are difficult to plant. If these entryways are under overhangs, like this San Francisco Bay Area entry, choose plants that thrive in fairly dark growing conditions.
Here, landscape architect Steven Kikuchi of Kikuchi + Kankel Design Group used a combination of horsetail reed (Equisetum sp.) and carpet-like baby’s tears (Soleirolia soleirolii) to create two modern containers that frame the view of a metal sculpture by Archie Held seen through the foyer.
4. Lush Breezeway in Southern Italy
One can take advantage of indoor-outdoor living for most of the year in the mild climate of Puglia, Italy, and many homes are designed for it. This open breezeway connects two indoor areas. The ceiling opens to the sky above, letting in plenty of light for growing a mix of shrubs, perennials and climbing vines that help make the breezeway feel like a Mediterranean oasis.
One can take advantage of indoor-outdoor living for most of the year in the mild climate of Puglia, Italy, and many homes are designed for it. This open breezeway connects two indoor areas. The ceiling opens to the sky above, letting in plenty of light for growing a mix of shrubs, perennials and climbing vines that help make the breezeway feel like a Mediterranean oasis.
5. Terrace With Geometric Trellis in Barcelona
The team at CaSA, the architecture firm that designed this Spanish home, installed pieces of lumber equal distances apart as a design motif both inside the house and out on the terrace.
The team at CaSA, the architecture firm that designed this Spanish home, installed pieces of lumber equal distances apart as a design motif both inside the house and out on the terrace.
Outside, the wood on the far wall becomes a trellis for climbing confederate jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides), while the beams overhead cast partial shade onto the seating area.
It could have been easy to just put a few potted plants out on the terrace to bring in a bit of green, but the combination of the vines and graphic pattern made by the wood creates a visually engaging design and provides continuity from indoors to outside.
It could have been easy to just put a few potted plants out on the terrace to bring in a bit of green, but the combination of the vines and graphic pattern made by the wood creates a visually engaging design and provides continuity from indoors to outside.
6. Stairwell and Light Well Garden in Sydney
In another Sydney home, the architects at CplusC Architectural Workshop used multiple indoor-outdoor spaces as opportunities to bring more green into the home. Here, we see a clever use of an often forgotten space, the shadowy area beneath stairs: It has been transformed into a bright mini garden with cast iron plant (Aspidistra elatior).
Planting tip: Cast iron plant can be a real problem solver in spots that receive low light or are challenging to access. The tough plants need little water and look good year-round.
In another Sydney home, the architects at CplusC Architectural Workshop used multiple indoor-outdoor spaces as opportunities to bring more green into the home. Here, we see a clever use of an often forgotten space, the shadowy area beneath stairs: It has been transformed into a bright mini garden with cast iron plant (Aspidistra elatior).
Planting tip: Cast iron plant can be a real problem solver in spots that receive low light or are challenging to access. The tough plants need little water and look good year-round.
In another area of the same home, rooms look out to an interior courtyard, accessible via oversize sliding windows. The architects designed the space to accommodate a suspended rain chain, which feeds into a center planter. Layered plants and vines twining up the brick wall bring the space to life.
7. Courtyard Garden in Japan
For this contemporary home in Japan, rooms are arranged around a central courtyard that features a composition of small trees, rocks and ground covers. Each room offers a slightly different view of the central planting.
For this contemporary home in Japan, rooms are arranged around a central courtyard that features a composition of small trees, rocks and ground covers. Each room offers a slightly different view of the central planting.
A window frames the base of the planting, emphasizing its similarity to a miniature mountainscape. One could adopt a similar idea of revealing different parts of a planting design through strategic window placement for interior courtyards, or through light wells and terraces that can be seen from multiple rooms.
8. Balcony Garden in Valencia
A few pots of bamboo sunk into a planter add lushness to this small balcony designed by Bellas Artes in the coastal city of Valencia, Spain.
Depending on location, balconies can present bright light, full shade or canyon-like exposures that change throughout the day. Choose plants accordingly or opt for a realistic-looking faux plant that can be placed in any light exposure, as was done here.
Tip: High-quality faux plants can be useful for bringing a sense of greenery to places that are inaccessible, such as some light wells and other in-between areas.
A few pots of bamboo sunk into a planter add lushness to this small balcony designed by Bellas Artes in the coastal city of Valencia, Spain.
Depending on location, balconies can present bright light, full shade or canyon-like exposures that change throughout the day. Choose plants accordingly or opt for a realistic-looking faux plant that can be placed in any light exposure, as was done here.
Tip: High-quality faux plants can be useful for bringing a sense of greenery to places that are inaccessible, such as some light wells and other in-between areas.
9. Indoor-Outdoor Spaces in Brisbane
This Australian home by architect John Ellway brings the outdoors in to such an extent that the architects call it the Terrarium House.
This Australian home by architect John Ellway brings the outdoors in to such an extent that the architects call it the Terrarium House.
A covered, screened-in veranda around an external stairway creates space for an at-home jungle. Vines trail from the screened sides and walkway railing above vibrant ferns and tropical foliage. The stairs lead down to the living room, which can be opened or closed to the screened-in space.
Plant Suggestions for Indoor-Outdoor Nooks
Your turn: How have you added plants and greenery to tricky outdoor spots? Show us your best examples in the Comments.
More on Houzz
Read more guides on growing houseplants
Find a home improvement professional
Shop for garden pots and planters
- Cactuses and succulents
- Cast iron plant (Aspidistra elatior)
- Clivia
- Dracaena
- Dwarf bamboo
- Ferns
- Ficus
- Kentia palm (Howea forsteriana)
- Mistletoe cactus (Rhipsalis spp.)
- Mother-in-law’s tongue (Sansevieria spp.)
- Peace lily (Spathiphyllum spp.)
- Philodendron
- Pothos
- Staghorn fern (Platycerium bifurcatum)
Your turn: How have you added plants and greenery to tricky outdoor spots? Show us your best examples in the Comments.
More on Houzz
Read more guides on growing houseplants
Find a home improvement professional
Shop for garden pots and planters
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capeanner, I just visited the Isabella Stewart Gardner museum last Summer for the first time. It is still an amazing oasis in the city. The courtyard is absolutely fabulous, but I think the side garden was my absolute favorite spot. Just sitting under the trees there was like being in a little slice of paradise.
I love all of these examples--every garden feels so special and well considered. Here's a shot from an interior courtyard at a modern residence we designed a few years ago. The Dracaena and Saneivieria are almost indestructible!