I'm glad to see activity on this forum!
I'm from N.O. and for the feel of it, I'd say a fountain or even a small wall water feature, some old looking statuary, and old brick or a lookalike brick.
Depending on the size of the area, you could plant crape myrtle for shade and color and bark, you can put some ferns underneath it in pots. Again, go with old looking pots like urns or clay pots that you can age with buttermilk or yogurt and get them moss-y. There are dwarf crape myrtles too. If you have some shade, coleus, camellias, caladiums, impatiens. In sun you can go with shrimp plant, lantana, canna lilly, ginger, plumbago, crinum lillies, spirea, daylillies. Wrought iron is great, we have that too. Enjoy!
We have a fountain here in MS and we just love it. It was not very expensive, it is from Lowe's I think, and is 3 tiered. But it has that Old World look.

The brick look has really stumped me. I have a concrete patio, but I don't know how to make it look like brick (for cheap). I have a few bricks that I was thinking of using somewhere, but I'm not sure where or how.

I don't know why there is so little activity here. I'm usually on the Texas forum and it get a ton of traffic!

Thanks, Louisiana Gal!

lynnmarie, have you thought about staining or stamped concrete on your patio? There are all sorts of designs and colors out there that resemble what you are looking for.

I agree with all of louisiana gal's suggestions. I have most of her suggestions in my post-Katrina yard, on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, with the exception of gingers. I don't think I have enough shade for them, but absolutely adore them! I might have to give them a try.

Also agree about a fountain. We had one installed in the spring and love the look and sound of it. So soothing, especially in this dreadful heat.

In our courtyard, we have three vitex/chaste trees, strategically planted in the corners. Virtually maintenance free, so far. Beautiful purple/lavender blooms and pretty bark.

Although it's really not very "glamorous", I also like the Confederate Rose. Maybe because I'm so excited about mine that I planted a little over a year ago. It is so big this year and will be blooming in the next month or so, hopefully.

Anyhow, good luck and have fun with creating your New Orleans-styled backyard!

I am so glad this post was on here. I live in Baton Rouge but will be moving across the river in a month into a New Orleans style house. I have been stumped on how to keep the landscaping true to the style of the house and this has given me some great ideas. I totally forgot about ferns hanging in the porch.