Sunny Courtyard Creation
Limestone chipping’s and naturalist planting surround an outdoor seating area
The family desired a garden that they could simultaneously eat, relax and play in. The middle section of the garden was turfed with a newly planted border filled with drought tolerant herbaceous plants that surrounds the seating zone..
- The Build -
Before the design process began the site was unusable, dangerous and unsightly.
A grid of concrete paths ran through the garden. These were broken up and removed, although we were able to re-purpose about 25% to build a base for the new patio area.
The garden was over run with ground elder which meant most plants were not salvageable. If you leave the slightest bit of root then it will re grow.
The ground was completely and thoroughly dug through removing any roots and concrete broken and removed in the process to make way for planting.
This way when the borders were planted we wouldn’t be competing with established perennial weeds.
Plants were planted and turf laid in April.
By June (photo on the right) the plants were starting to fill out.
The broken fence panels were replaced and painted a dark colour to draw your eye to the surrounding trees. These will be wired with climbing roses trained over them in the Autumn.
Cotswolds chipping were added to the seating area.
We used a mix of herbaceous perennials,grasses and annuals for a long summer of colour.
The grasses will provide winter structure that will keep the garden feeling full and interesting.
By the end of the summer the plants were really doing their job. Creating a real sense of being for the seating zone and separating the lawn from the rest of the garden. (Photo below taken in September).
