Courtyard Fountain with Bougainvillea

Pink bougainvillea spills across the upper walls of a small Mediterranean courtyard, casting broken shadows over old stone and patterned tile. Water falls from a weathered central fountain into a broad circular basin. Terracotta pots, glossy leaves, iron window bars and a dark wooden doorway keep every side of the scene busy without taking attention from the fountain.

Sunlight falls across the fountain and tiled floor, while the doorway behind remains dark. Pink flowers gather high on the walls rather than spreading evenly through the scene. Those larger divisions make it possible to work on the architecture and planting separately. Along the ground, tile patterns change angle as they recede toward the door; a fragment of blue pattern needs its perspective checked as well as its color.