A Modern Courtyard Garden Design

Brief

This garden design is for a courtyard garden of a modern convent building. The courtyard currently has few interesting features and the clients would like to improve its appearance and add greenery to make it appear less like a car park. Many of the inhabitants of the convent are elderly or infirm, so ease of use and accessibility are key requirements in the brief. Planting beds should be at a level that makes them easy to tend without bending down.

Solution

The garden design for this courtyard centres around two ellipses of luxury artificial lawn installed in the existing paving. Artificial lawn is virtually zero maintenance and has a realistic appearance and feel, adding a splash of colour to the space without the need for watering or mowing.

Three large raised planting beds with integrated bench seating, constructed from new railway sleepers, will be installed around the central lawns to provide ample seating for the residents.

Further interest will be added to the courtyard with the inclusion of a 75cm stainless steel sphere water feature and an ornate rusted metal arch installed over the existing stone bench and sculpture.

Planting will be predominantly produce bias leaving space for further produce to be added seasonally. There is a specimen dwarf cherry blossom taking centre stage underplanted with hardy geranium and ornamental grasses.