| By :
Jackie De Burca
Mexican Designed Gardens combine character with elegance and like the Hispanic culture should include a space for socialising! In the same way as Mexico is vast the types of Mexican style gardens have variations also, there are Mexican Water Gardens but more commonly the garden can be a courtyard style with a water feature if room allows it. A Mexican courtyard garden is designed around people with evidence of the varied Mexican landscapes such as lush tropical forests, desert and coast. So the aim is to focus on the people who will enjoy it and visit it, then building the props and plants with this in mind which should mirror the diverse beauty of Mexico. Some Mexican courtyard gardens may focus on one favourite place or aspect of Mexico which also works very well, so if you have been to Mexico this is an option. It could be a loving tribute to the relaxing coasts of Mexico, the diverse mountain regions or the native feel of the northern deserts. When you have your theme decided then immerse yourself in lots of photos online of the aspects of this style to help you further define what props and plants will fit in your garden well. Remember that the socialising area is central to the plan, and this will ideally include some form of outdoor cooking facility as well as the area to relax, eat, drink and be merry! The end result should give a feel of native and colonial design with colours, plants, terrracotta and practical plants like herbs and vegetables are very much part of it. Once you have set aside the entertaining area the next step is to put in the roots of this courtyward style which means choosing tiles which should have earthy tones, like terracottas, reds or browns, can include nature designs such as cacti or the sun and traditionally would have been handmade ceramic tiles. Having chosen the socialising area your aim is to make this welcoming, cheery and functional so a good choice is a hand made brick oven or barbeque. The dining and relaxing furniture is typically rustic wood and/or wrought iron tables, benches, chairs. Look forward to the great evenings you will have there and feature wrought-iron candelabras for lighting. If you have space for a water feature it can be a small fish pond or a small water feature made from old terracotta pots, it doesn't need to be big to have the desired effect. Of course if you do have the space for a larger feature then go for it, watch out for the pink flamingoes though! You'll notice that there has been mention of terracotta once or twice already, so to get it out of the way you can use used and broken terracotta earthenware in as many ways as you can think of in your Mexican garden. You can put little cacti in them or herbs just go for it. Which leads us onto cacti and plants. Lots of cacti and tropical type plants, if possible cultivate lemon, orange, nut or banana trees if your climate allows. A small vegetable garden is a must also and if you haven't grown your own vegetables before it is a great experience and they taste heaps better than what we get in most supermarkets. Go for well kept flowerbeds alsoo and large arrangements of hanging baskets. Some plants to consider are aloe vera (great healing properties), flowering agave, fuchsia, golden trumpet, hosta, orchid, acacia, caladium, rex-begonia vine, hibiscus and rex-begonia vine. Props to consider are bright wall frescos, wrought iron gateways, pottery and ceramics painted with traditional designs, as well as Aztec style cushions and tablecloths if you wish. To make the evenings more pleasant you can put of a straw type roof on the entertaining area. This is best done using scaffold towers for your safety or that of any workers. When it is all finished sit down and enjoy a well deserved drink in your new garden.
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