Courtyard style

Article by: Gareth Salter
Publish date: 5th January 2010

The courtyard-style gardens of period townhouses are often tricky to plant. With so many issues to overcome such as high walls, a poor soil and dark corners, creating an urban oasis - the type of garden we dream about - can appear impossible. Nevertheless, with a little careful planning, it can be done. Well-designed courtyard gardens can be surprisingly effective, with many of them having more impact than those a great deal larger in size.

The right plants
The conditions in a courtyard can vary widely and depend a great deal on aspect. Although a south-facing garden may enjoy hours of sunshine, the soil can be little more than dust. In contrast, a garden that faces north could spend most of the year in dense shade, especially during winter. So, it’s essential that you not only improve the soil, but choose plants that thrive in such conditions. One of the best ways of improving the soil is by adding compost, but raised beds may be a better option especially if the soil is shallow. Containers are another approach as you can control the conditions within more easily.

One common mistake is to use small plants, worried that large specimens will crowd the garden. While such an approach works well in a minimalistic Japanese-style planting scheme, I think that the most effective courtyard gardens rely on an abundance of tall evergreens with massive leaves - creating a tropical jungle-like feel. Screen the walls and the garden immediately increases in size.

Reflected glory
Set within high brick walls, courtyard gardens are often gloomy, especially in winter when the sun’s low in the sky. There are several ways of brightening a dull corner, the simplest being to paint the walls white. An evergreen climber with variegated leaves can work wonders, but the most effective way of raising the light levels is by hanging a mirror on the wall. Positioned behind a colourful herbaceous border, it reflects light back into the garden, while increasing the apparent depth of the planting scheme and giving the illusion of space. A wall-mounted mirror can even make you believe there’s another garden beyond. Choose a plastic outdoor mirror rather than one made of glass as it‘s lighter, ten times stronger and safer should it break.

Another level
In a small garden, the best way of creating a feeling of space is by focusing on the vertical. Anything that draws your eye upwards, such as a wooden obelisk, will change your overall perspective. A flat garden is boring, so consider planting at different heights, whether by creating raised beds or hanging baskets against the walls.

Alternatively, dig a sunken garden with a seating area in the centre and immerse yourself in the planting. Again, by doing this, you’re working in the only dimension where you’ve room to expand, and that’s up and down. Remember, a sunken garden may sound exciting, but it’s essential you include a soakaway or you’ll end up with a pond!

Just add water
Situated in an urban setting, many courtyard gardens struggle against the intrusive sounds of the city. Yet the gardens we remember most are those that stimulate our senses, whether by their use of colour, scent or sound, the rustle of wind through leaves, the tinkle of a windchime and the splash of water on pebbles.

One of the most effective ways of stimulating the senses is by creating a water feature - few sounds are more calming. If space is lacking, consider filling an old barrel with water. Lined with polyethylene, it’s deep enough to be planted with a range of miniature pond plants and even a dwarf water lily.

Fill the surrounding containers with hostas, zantedeschia, sedges, caltha and astilbe and you’ll create a verdant oasis where you can relax after a tiring day.

Simplicity rules
When planting a smaller space keep the scheme simple. Limit the number of ideas and carry them out with style. One of the best ways of planning a design is by looking down on the garden from an upstairs window. It’s a novel way of getting a fresh perspective. I’ve even stuck see-through tracing paper to the glass and drawn out my ideas until I was happy.

Use plants to screen the walls and divide the garden so you can’t see it all in one go. Create some mystery. And don’t think that, because the plot is small, you can’t have a summerhouse - it makes a great focal point and, by giving you a retreat away from the house, removes you from all those everyday distractions.

Rather than choosing hundreds of different plants, create a feeling of continuity by using the same plant in different parts of the garden. Your eye will naturally be drawn from one clump to the next. By moving across the planting a small garden will appear larger.

Sitting pretty
There’s no point creating a wonderful garden if you don’t enjoy it. So, identify which part of the garden receives the most sunshine and use it as a seating area, then design the garden around it. Make a focal point, but blend it attractively with the surrounding plants. In a small garden, every element has to earn its place; even the practical should look pretty and contribute aesthetically to the overall appearance.

A New perspective
A small terrace feels larger if paved on a diagonal, especially if you use large plain slabs rather than bricks. It’s all a matter of fooling the eye. If the perimeter of a circular lawn extends beyond the walls of the garden, it immediately feels much larger, because your mind fills in the gaps and imagines the full circle. Similarly a pathway feels longer when the plants along its length decrease in size.

Although it’s important you don’t over-divide a small garden, the odd division, such as a climber-clad trellis, can work wonders by screening one area from the next and by focusing your attention on something within the garden, rather than at the far end.

A large tree can look amazing, especially if you choose one with a columnar habit and a light canopy. Raise the crown by removing the lower branches and you’ll be able to plant beneath while enjoying the added height it gives your planting.

Sight lines
Every garden needs a focal point, something that catches the eye and draws you in. A neatly trimmed evergreen shrub, an intriguing piece of sculpture or a well-placed statue. Arrange the focal points so that, when you arrive at one, you can just about see the next. Try and place them so you can only see one at a time and remove any that compete with each other. Visual conflicts should be avoided. Think of your garden like as a painting and create something that’s pleasing from wherever it’s viewed.