The finished courtyard garden - part 1

A Beautiful Courtyard Garden

For this lesson, I'm going to take you around Jack Davidson's garden so you can get a feel of the space we managed to create in his small courtyard garden.

This garden was unique because it has two sets of double doors leading into it, both of which require access into the garden. To create this, we made two lines of brick paving, both of which end in pave circles, one for the dining area and one for a small seating area which sits under the canopy of an acer tree.

Behind the dining area, at the back of the garden, we have a limestone trough with mirrored trellis behind. This reflects the light around the garden and there is also a sunken light in the bottom of the trough which helps to create a magical atmosphere when the light is low.

To break up the large wall that sits at the back of the garden, we planted three Pyrus calleryana 'Chanticleer' trees which also create vertical interest within the space too.

The Planting Scheme

The garden was overlooked by a high triangular building, so I wanted to break up the view of this in order to create some vertical emphasis, I placed a trio of pots in the corner of the garden and also planted some clipped shapes to create form and interest in the wintertime.

We've also put lots of gentle planting at ground level, which helps to soften the lines around the brick flooring and make everything look more natural.

Perhaps most interestingly, inbetween the two sets of doors we've created a division by installing estate railings which are the same tone as the metal dining table and chairs. We've then trained cordon pear trees along these railings to create a natural border between the two sets of double doors. The pear trees are interwoven with white climbing roses, which will bring further interest when they are in bloom.

These railings help to create a purposeful route through the garden too and give it a good sense of flow.

Around the boundary of the garden at the top of the garden wall, we have installed a trellis, which is painted in the same colour as the two sets of double doors.

To add a splash of colour and fun into the garden, Jack also sourced a bespoke parasol made by Sunbeam Jackie.

The paved brick floor is also made up of a number of patterns including herringbone, circles and straight lines running in different directions. We've then got a smart white shed sitting in the corner.

The Planting Scheme

To create a sense of privacy within the garden, we've covered the boundary walls in climbers which will then snake their way across the trellis above. We've used scented Trachelospermum jasminoides here, which climbs well, has beautiful flowers and is shade tolerant, which is obviously essential for this garden.

We've also planted several Hydrangea 'Limelight' as well as ferns and foxgloves.

Vertical Accent

When you're designing your own space, don't forget to think about the vertical accent. Put simply, this means creating vertical interest in your space and thinking about how plants travel from the ground, up your walls and to the trellis above.

Getting your climbers to a good height will help you to block out any views that you don't wish to see and also create a sense of being enveloped by nature.

Garden Furniture

Jack requested a dining table that was big enough for five to six guests. We placed it in a spot which gets the most sun in the middle of the day, while we put the reclining chairs in the spot that gets the sun towards the end of the day.