Urban courtyard garden

Overview

A shaded yard becomes a green retreat

The challenge: a 180 m² north-facing courtyard hemmed in by brick walls — dark, damp and used only for storage. The owners wanted somewhere to eat outside and read in peace.

Our approach: we lifted the gloom with a pale limestone terrace, trained jasmine and star jasmine across wires on the sunniest wall, and layered shade-loving ferns, hostas and hydrangeas beneath sculpted yew and bay. A slim water rill adds movement and masks city noise.

The outcome: a courtyard the family uses daily from April to October — brighter, quieter and alive with scent on summer evenings.