Rustic Sandy Courtyard
Hidden in my new Shrubbery is a small sunken rectangular courtyard, complete with two home-made recycled-timber benches. It's a wonderful spot for winter sunshine, with expansive views of lawns and gardens. In this latest photograph (March 2014) the courtyard is nearly six years old!
Me Relaxing in the Rustic Courtyard
The soil here is very sandy, as I found when I excavated for the courtyard floor. I was originally going to use pavers, but that idea was quickly put on hold. The two rustic garden benches sit at right-angles to each other, with a stylish variegated potted Cordyline in the corner.
New Plantings
The courtyard is surrounded by a low stone wall, and I planted trailing Rosemary and tiny Emerald Gem Hebes along the edges. In this early photograph the ornamental tree Esk Sunset has only just been shifted in. All the plantings are new - I wonder how big everything will grow! Aargh!
The Courtyard
Aha! The photograph below was taken in the spring of 2010, just two years after conception. There's lots of new growth, and everything looks bushy and green. It's a wonderful, secret place to sit with a cup of tea and a cat.
The Courtyard in 2010