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Plants for a small sunny courtyard garden

dannim13dannim13 Posts: 3
in Plants
Hello,

I recently bought a terrace house with a tiny courtyard garden.  It’s south/west facing and is a lovely sun trap. So I am look for plant suggestions - if you can help 😊.

As its a courtyard there is currently one small bed (full of weeds) but everything else would need to be pots. 

There no greenery (that can be seen) in the surrounding gardens so I’m look for plants which will have colour all year round.  

The garden is surround by one wall & 2 walls with fences on top so some plants that will trell would be ideal. 

Thanks 
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Posts

  • FireFire Posts: 17,322
    Welcome to the group. "To trell" - what a gorgeous verb!  What kind of plant would you like to trell? Year round evergreen, loads of flowers, muted colours, something to eat, Mediterranean, native UK, very low maintenance? 
  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,541
    HOSTAS. :D
    Devon.
  • dannim13dannim13 Posts: 3
    Thanks Fire. Year round evergreen would be good but I do like colour too.

    Reasonably low maintenance will defiantly help as this is the fitst time I’ve had my own garden (& Home) we are pretty busy with indoor & outdoor diy. 
  • AuntyRachAuntyRach Posts: 5,099
    Congratulations on your first garden @dannim13 - a blank canvas is exciting! 
    I thought that if the space is cosy, then you could look for plenty of scented plants as the aromas will be intensified. Scented climbers could be Jasmine and Honeysuckle, but Clematis will be fabulous too (some varieties of climbers are evergreen). If you receive plenty of sun, then you could have some Mediterranean herbs and plants like Lavender for the pots. 
    My garden and I live in South Wales. 
  • Rose121Rose121 Posts: 132
    For your pots, make life easier by installing water reservoirs if you are able. I use two kinds: 'artstone' pots which have then built in but may not be too your taste, or plantsava which fit into pots of your choosing. Makes keeping a patio garden wateredwat much easier! 
  • Daisy33Daisy33 Posts: 1,031
    I have a small courtyard also dannim, and found the best approach is a few large plants in pots (I have a cordyline, an olive and a Gingko), then lavenders, cannas, agapanthus, sedums, hibiscus, libertia, arum lilies, small roses, hostas and herbs. Grow annual poppies and such for more colour. On the walls are various clematis, some vines and a passion flower that actually comes over from the neighbour.

    Tulips, daffs, erythroniums, hellebores, primroses, snowdrops for spring excitement.

    Also a very small water feature with a solar fountain which has irises, bogbean and water hawthorn.

    Surprising how much will grow in a small space, but remember you will need to water it.

    Good luck and have fun. :)
  • FireFire Posts: 17,322
    If you want to use it for entertaining in the evening, them white flowered climbers like Trachelospermum jasminoides might be lovely on the summer air. Clematis Landsdowne Gem is a colourful evergreen. Some rosemary and hardy bush salvias like Royal Bumble have scented leaves and well as good flower colour.

    It might be worth investing in some good sized terracotta pots for your space, if it's in your budget and is your type of thing. Designers often recommend going for multiples of a smaller number of plants, rather than one or two of lots of things. Find a colour pallet your like, interest across the year and go for it!

  • Rose121Rose121 Posts: 132
    Salvia royal bumble is fantastic. One of my faves.
  • FireFire Posts: 17,322
    You could easily have just that in your garden. Well, I could.
  • dannim13dannim13 Posts: 3
    Thank you all for your suggestions 😊
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