One of the pleasures of traveling for lecture appearances is visiting old and new friends…and their gardens. As I headed to New Orleans last fall, I had one image in…

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Photos by Sara Essex BradleyWith a combination of Old World and Caribbean influences, French Quarter courtyards embellish New Orleans. Hidden behind brick walls and iron gates, shaded by trees and greenery, complemented by the relaxing sights and sounds of water features, they are ideal places to escape the summer sun. Here are four of our favorites – two public and...

French Quarter courtyards are popular among locals and tourists, and can be created with a few simple elements, including the top 6 elements.

New Orleans gardens look like no others in the world, thanks to the city's particular climate, geography and architectural style—not to mention swamplands, floods, hurricanes, deposits of rich alluvial soil, and pestilential insects. Steal these 10 garden ideas from New Orleans for your own garden:

New Orleans designer Shaun Smith gives a 1950s ranch a farmhouse persona with a few key updates.

Name: Todd and Kate Novak Location: French Quarter — New Orleans, Louisiana Size: 675 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; Owned New Orleans is known as a city that loves color, and Kate and Todd Novak embraced that notion with a touch of “understated” bordello in their French Quarter getaway. Though they call Marin County, California, home, Kate and Todd’s love of New Orleans stems from their time at Tulane University.

New Orleans gardens look like no others in the world, thanks to the city's particular climate, geography and architectural style—not to mention swamplands, floods, hurricanes, deposits of rich alluvial soil, and pestilential insects. Steal these 10 garden ideas from New Orleans for your own garden:

Visiting the French Quarter? See New Orleans & Company's guide to the best bars, tours, hotels, and restaurants in NOLA's most famous neighborhood.

Southerners all know that smaller spaces are oftentimes the ones that are most ripe with potential. With these ideas, small backyards are full of promise.