Please post pics in a comment here do not start another post .

@Patricia Colwell Consulting Do you not see the pictures I uploaded?

Would an indoor-outdoor runner look odd? I don't think I've seen anyone use one around here. Many of the houses have similar architecture.

Lavender and rosemary both require full sun which it does not look like that space has. Maybe stop by a local nursery for advice.

If other houses nearby have similar architecture, what solution did they use for the narrow entry?

I doubt perennials will work here without sunlight. By all means lay down a colorful runner.

Place some coordinating large urns and plant them with shade loving seasonal flowers such as white impatiens.

What about a nice bench under the window?

Replace the gray rock with white quartz rock for some additional pizzazz!

See my concept rendering below.

I wondered about sun in that space too - per @cyn427 (z. 7, N. VA) note. I see sunlight at top on right but no idea time of day. What are overall dimensions of this walkway space - length & width? It feels narrow & long from the view pictures provide so your plants would be limited to growing no wider than planting beds each side of walk. I’d want something to break up the walls to feel less tunnel like. That could be done with alternating narrow plants that grow taller with shorter plants. Can’t suggest any without specific location. ”High Desert” means to me locales like Eastern WA (Tri Cities area) or Flagstaff, AZ. Both get snow in winter. Another idea to break up walls & add interest is standing decorative metal art - a trellis with interesting lines. As for your door color - my thought is a lighter color - you added the blue rug so maybe that’s a color you like? Look at much lighter shades of the blue in the rug or even desert colors - teal / turquoise / rose tones?

ETA - I don’t think an outdoor runner would look odd but I would be very concerned about a trip hazard & any guest who might trip on it…

The previous owners had thriving (and smelly) society garlic in the same spot, which also requires "full" sun. We are in the high desert 8b so I think our 1/2 day of sun is plenty.

Other owner's courtyards don't have a lot of inspiration. A few have added pergolas over the top which look good but I'd rather not do that much work.

Container gardens with succulents might be lovely. Plant some drought resistant grasses in between the pots.

Santa Barbara at Rancho Cucamonga · More Info

container gardens · More Info

You could also put in a succulent green wall:

Modern Patio · More Info

Succulent Frame · More Info

I like the idea of succulents planted in ground as they can be quite colorful, have lots of texture, are easy to keep within bounds, very low water requirements. The “Angelina Stonecrop Sedum” in particular is very bright yellow, flowers in yellow, turns to rusty brick colors & cannot kill it even in my wet cold winters. You could plant in ground in between your Rosemary & Lavender to add bright pop of yellow, sunshine looking color.

I would want something that could climb up that wall or at least provide some height. I don't know what would grow there, but to me, it's the expanse of walls on both sides that need softening. You say you don't want to put in anything that requires too much water. I get that because I live in SoCal and we are all needing to think about water usage.... but your space is SO small, that I'm wondering if you are sort of placing a constraint on the water that isn't necessary, only because there are so few plants to water....

I also think that the space would be more attractive with a couple sconces to light the path to the door.

While the rosemary and lavender might not die they will probally get leggy which isn't a great look IMO. Many succulents would enjoy the lesser light and would look great arranged around some landscape boulders that match your landscape rock. They are also forgiving if an emitter gets clogged and they miss some watering.

One more plug for rosemary. Here it is as an evergreen shrub under larger shrubs in my neighborhood.

It's hardy and grows well here.

@Mrs. S are you suggesting sconces on the walls or landscape lighting?

@Desert Design I don’t doubt that Rosemary grows well in your area at all. The difference is the location of it in the pic you show us where it’s used as a border. That area is wide open to lots of light. Your planting area looks shaded for most if not all day on one or both sides of walkway. It’s likely pretty hot there too along walkway with reflected heat from any sun that does come in but it’s the lack of direct sun that might make the plants leggy. You’ll know by the end of this growing season how they work out & certainly no harm in trying. If they do work, the added bonus will be the lovely fragrance from both the lavendar & rosemary - perfect along a walk way.

I'm concerned about the lavender and rosemary because both are attractive to bees. A few people are allergic to bee stings and others are bee phobic. Visitors to your home and delivery drivers should be able to approach the front door without being in close proximity to bees. Note: I'm a pollinator lover and my landscaping primarily consists of pollinator plants but not by the front door.

What about a water feature? The sound of water would be very nice in that enclosed space.

Artisan Fountain and Spheres from Pottery Barn.

I think I would like to see a little bit of both: a sconce or two esp next to your door, and a few pathway lights. I don't care for things overly lit up, but sconces have a nice "finished" look to them even in the daytime, and you have so much expanse of walls on both sides, I think it needs a couple of those. Plus landscaping something on the taller side to take up some of that visual space.

Great suggestions from other posters. Consider lighting near your door and painting the door a brighter color than can be seen more easily from the courtyard entryway.

Doug, thank you. I was wondering how metal sculptures would look. I guess the key is to make sure they are proper size. I also like how you added the dark edging.

@Design Fan (NE z7a) - do you have any color ideas? I was considering something bright and a little fun, like orange.

Here are some ideas using orange:

@Dig Doug's Designs look great! With the orange accents he shows, the door color could be a paler shade of orange to add to the bright, cheery look. Change out the door mat to one with orange in design

Love Dig D's orange version!

If you like orange, as long as you're testing plants to see what will and won't grow there, you should definitely put some California poppies somewhere in there, at least towards the sunny front. :)

My aunt grew incredible roses in Apple Valley. They may not be desert plants but they aren't water guzzlers. It would be nice to walk through (and maybe under?) a couple tall roses to reach your canyon of a courtyard, with a pretty runner...

Fori, we have some roses in the backyard, they did look great a couple of weeks ago but already look a little straggly. I do like the idea of some height or some type of climber. And the orange poppies!

I love tall grasses for their natural feel and if interested, article below describes their needs and appropriate growing zones. https://www.urbanorganicyield.com/tall-ornamental-grasses-for-privacy/

Some ideas: Thicken up the stones and intermingle lavender with large rocks and grasses….spread out.

Your walkway could be stencilled and there are endless patterns.

A turquoise door could be be striking and don’t forget solar lights and even some metal art.

🤗 That’s good.

Please disregard above^^^. ( Inadvertently sent to wrong place. )

Not a big fan of the orange wall "star" -- I find it a bit too much. (But that is my problem, not yours. ;-D ) I do like the idea of something colorful and "fun" though. What about something like some Mexican wall pottery? They typically have a multitude of colors (including orange). Would still add a splash of "fun" bright colors and would provide the opportunity to tie in with a number of other colors -- flower and decor-wise.