Courtyard revival
There’s no need to splash out and completely renovate your courtyard when, with a little creativity and a tiny bit of elbow grease, you can make it look completely brand new. A few pot plants, wall decos and fabulous furnishings are all it will take to transform a dull space into a stylish garden retreat. All these elements are portable, so you can change the look every season to keep things interesting. And if you are renting, simply pack them up and rearrange at your new place. Too easy!
1. Create a gorgeous and lawn-less garden with a whole host of plants in containers.
2. Hide the soil from view and consider topping pots with a decorative mulch. Here, large white pebbles and small plantings of variegated sedum have been arranged in a small but pretty geometric pattern.
3. No garden space is complete without a place to sit and enjoy it all. Dress it up with colourful weatherproof cushions and an outdoor rug so you’ll feel right at home.
4. Don’t be afraid to plant a variety of options in your containers. This combo of Cordyline ‘Electric Star’, SunPatiens and Dichondra ‘Silver Falls’ provides height and colour in just the one pot!
Gardener’s tips
• If you are always on the move, look out for lightweight options for your pots, such as fibreglass or glass-fibre reinforced concrete (GRC or GFRC).
• To help the look tie in with your home, pick a few complementary colours and use them when selecting colours for pots, plants and accessories.
• Group elements in odd numbers – it is more appealing to the eye as it gives depth to the area.
• When planting up containers, use a good-quality potting mix and feed plants with a controlled release fertiliser. You can also sit pots on handy ‘pot wheels’ to help with moving and placement.
