Last weekend I met a friend for drinks at the beautiful new South Congress Hotel bar. (A word of advice: never, ever order the Pink Flamingo, which tasted exactly like a burning tire. After a few grimace-inducing sips, I deemed it undrinkable — my friend agreed — and asked the server to take it away. He merely said, accusingly, “I told you the mezcal was smoky.” Right you are, sir.)

While waiting for my friend to arrive, I poked around behind the hotel and discovered an intimate courtyard that would look right at home in the garden of many a contemporary Austin home. Designed by Christine Ten Eyck, the narrow space is kept from feeling like a shoebox thanks to a zigzag design of board-formed concrete retaining walls that create planting beds and conversation nooks with built-in benches. Lighting beneath the benches softly illuminates the board-form details, a ribbon of river rock, and scored-concrete paving.

The planting beds already look lush, even though they can’t be more than two months old. Virginia creeper climbs a gray-painted wall, and Turk’s cap’s crimson flowers (Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii) stand out even at dusk. I think those are possumhaw hollies (Ilex decidua) in front, which will add height, winter color, and, eventually, a little shade.

I don’t know the groundcover with ruffly leaves, but I found it charming. Anyone know it? It’s bigfoot water clover (Marsilea macropoda), a wetland Texas native. In the distance, a grove of copper-leaved bald cypress surrounds a waterfall dripping from a high wall — a modern interpretation of a Hill Country grotto? My pictures of that area didn’t turn out because it was getting dark, but it’s quite nice. Next time I’m on South Congress I’ll stop by for another look.

For a few pictures of the hotel’s street-side landscaping — also very cool — click here and scroll about halfway down.

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