It was important to us that we get the area between the house and the carport right. We knew it was an area that we would be traversing frequently, and it would also be the first thing that visitors to the property would see. We'd decided on exposed aggregate with planting areas throughout. Dan drew out some ideas on graph paper and we recreated our favorite plan by spray-painting the ground.

Bella is laying in the circle where we knew we wanted to put a piece of art.
Satisfied with the layout, we brought in the concrete crew.

The days that we had construction crews on the property were always exciting. There's something satisfying about watching capable, experienced people working. (I remember commenting something like that to the backhoe operator we used, saying I could watch him work for hours. Thinking of what he was charging us, he said "Yeah, that could come back and bite you in the ass." Indeed.)
Many years later, we have the courtyard we'd hoped for. A "tunnel" of 3 arbors, covered with clematis, honeysuckle and trumpet vine create a passageway into the courtyard.

We chose a honeysuckle that has an intoxicating scent,

but that is also stunningly beautiful.
Listening to and watching the hummingbirds flitting about the plants in the courtyard is a particular delight.
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