Alys Beach

I remember my first glimpse of the town as I drove along Highway 30A, just west of Panama City Beach. A cluster of whitewashed walls and peaked roofs eased into view.

But what really drew me was how Alys Beach’s master plan, designed by Andrés Duany of the Miami-based architectural firm DPZ (Duany Plater-Zyberk & Co.), emphasized both community and a sustainable relationship with this fragile slice of Florida’s eco-systems. Pictured: Troy Rhone Garden Design

Here, there are no front porches on which to drink lemonade and gab with the neighbors. Instead, families enjoy private outdoor space in the form of courtyards modeled after the patio homes in the city of Antigua, Guatemala. Pictured: Troy Rhone Garden Design

Against a cloudless sky, Alys Beach was a sparkling oasis that reminded me at once of Morocco, Bermuda, the Mediterranean coast and Latin America.

The more I learned about Alys Beach, the more I liked it. Not least appealing was the fact that the community consists solely of green-certified structures that are fortified to withstand hurricanes.

The town, bookended by its precious beach and dunes to the south and 22 acres of preserved wetlands to the north, is committed to sustainability and is meant to be standing, alongside its untouched natural habitats, hundreds of years from now — a testament to the vision of the town founder, Jason Comer, whose family bought these 158 acres in 1977 and collaborated with DPZ in the design of the present-day community.

Walking along the beautiful, and also water-permeable, cobbled pathways, I peek through the occasional decorative cutout or gap in the wooden and iron doors that lead into private courtyards.

Pocket parks and alluring civic spaces, such as the lounge at Fire Pit Green, are key components of New Urbanism master plans.

Edibles, such as potted herbs in the "Soup Garden," are interspersed throughout Alys Beach's landscape.

Turf is used sparingly in the Alys Beach community, and never in private gardens. Pictured: Troy Rhone Garden Design

Continue on to see more photos of Alys Beach courtyards and public gardens.

Pictured: Troy Rhone Garden Design

Pictured: Troy Rhone Garden Design