Elegant Courtyard Garden Design
Peace, tranquillity & an oasis of calm

Hampstead Garden Design: Beautiful courtyard gardens whatever the style or location

The starting point is always finding out how you would like to use the space and designing the garden around the setting, location and any challenges that these may present.

Whether you are planning a small courtyard garden behind your Victorian terraced house or you have a larger plot which you want to develop, Hampstead Garden Design will work with the space to create a courtyard that will give you a relaxing area to be enjoyed all year round, for many years to come.

Clients sometimes dismiss an undeveloped area between their home and the main garden as a space which is unusable, maybe simply a passageway. Possibly the space only seems large enough to house rubbish bins and a washing line.

We can help you to turn this into a courtyard garden where you can enjoy peace and tranquility, lush greenery and beautiful plants. Or possibly a place to entertain family and friends. The smallest back yard can be the perfect location for a well-designed courtyard garden.

Here are some things to consider when planning the perfect courtyard garden:

The key to creating a beautiful courtyard garden is to fully understand what you want from the area and the constraints of the space. We can then design a courtyard which takes all of these factors into account.

• How will the space be used? Alfresco dining for yourself and the family, BBQs at the weekend with groups of friends, a space to relax in the sun or a place to enjoy a little cool shade. Would you like to enjoy the late evenings around a glowing fire pit? Do you have young children, pets or someone who would find steps difficult to manage? The answer to this question will help to shape all of the decisions which need to follow.
• What is the location for the courtyard garden? Often courtyards are situated close to a property but sometimes the perfect spot is at the end of the garden plot. Knowing how the space will be used may influence whether the courtyard needs to be somewhere sunny or shady, or perhaps in a quieter less overlooked location.
• The size and scale of the courtyard? In built up towns and cities, the size of a courtyard garden will often be dictated by the space available. If you are lucky enough to have a larger garden, it is very important to be sure that the proportions of the courtyard work with your house and the garden as a whole.
• What is going where? Courtyard gardens are often small and it is important that the space is well used, that every centimetre counts. Where is the best place for your seating area, what will it look onto and is this the best place for sun or shade? Do you have room to entertain, somewhere for a BBQ or possibly a fire pit. It is often helpful to draw a scale plan to make sure that all of the things on your wish list will neatly fit into your new courtyard garden. You might also want to think about how exposed or overlooked the area will be? You may want to create more privacy using boundary screens, fences or clever use of planting.
• What style are you aiming for, traditional and formal, urban & contemporary, intimate and cosy? Courtyards can adapt to almost any style from cosy cottage style gardens, sleek urban retreats or formal spaces with structures such arbours and trellises. Whichever style you prefer will then start to dictate the type of paving and planting which you want to incorporate to create the desired look and feel.
• Services and lighting: Often gardens are left unused for many months of the year due to short daylight hours during winter. With careful planning, you can include a lighting scheme in your courtyard garden which will extend the time you can spend enjoying your new outdoor space. Good lighting will also enable you to enjoy the garden from inside your home, providing an atmospheric back drop on chillier evenings.
• The budget: Your available budget for your new courtyard garden is an important consideration. Landscaping and remodelling the garden, possibly changing levels or creating useable space from a difficult, sloping area can be expensive, so it is important to decide what you would like to spend from the outset.