A CITY COURTYARD GARDEN

THE BRIEF

This garden was designed for a young professional couple, who live in the city and have no children or pets.  They wanted a garden which was easy to maintain but which provided them with a good entertaining space, a water feature and a space for herbs.

THE DESIGN

This garden is for a professional couple who are likely to be out during the day and generally entertaining in the evening, and so the seating area has been placed in the square shaped area at the top right of site in order to maximise sunlight throughout the day.

A ‘drinks/chill out area’ has been placed adjacent to the dining area to provide an area for socialising with friends. Both the drinks area and the dining area are sunken to provide interest and delineation of space, as well as providing a more intimate area for socialising.  A sitting wall has been placed around the drinks area to provide casual seating. 

The water feature (a small sculptural fountain) has been placed in the bottom left hand corner of the site and provides a focal point of interest. A bench has been placed at the bottom under the window to provide an informal spot for an early morning coffee or an evening glass of wine – and a quiet place in the garden to sit and enjoy the sound of the water and a view up the long axis into the herb garden

THE PLANTING

The planting reflects the ‘classic contemporary’ nature of the garden. The dominant colours are white and green to provide lightness and freshness.  These are accented by highlights of mauves and lilacs. Planting includes: Hydrangea quercifolia, Verbena bonariensis, Salvia ‘Serenade’, Libertia grandiflora and Briza media. Permanent pots hold large Buxus sempervirens balls to provide drama and delineation at key points in the garden.  Seasonal pots are planted with Agapanthus africanus and Tulipa Diana.