Courtyard garden ideas: how to design an elegant courtyard space

A courtyard is a place of wonder: an enclosed and usually private space that offers that rare opportunity to create something totally defined by itself, without outside interference. In a way, it can be like an extra room in a house, but one afforded all the natural and organic design possibilities of outdoor space.

However, the restricted nature of a courtyard can also mean that a gardener needs to take extra care when considering how best to approach it, and there’s a way to mitigate every pitfall and trap that a courtyard presents. Trellises and climbing plants, for example, can soften the otherwise hard planes of the walls, while visually lightweight furniture and mirrors can make a small yard feel larger. And because your courtyard is likely to be a space that is put to practical use, it can be helpful to pave the ground, all the better to walk on with ease; nobody wants a bog sitting between the wings of their house, after all.

Garden designer Angel Collins elaborates on how best to manage the hard surfaces of a courtyard. “The hard landscaping details of your garden are probably the most difficult to get right,” Angel says. “It’s important to look at your house and decide what colour stone or gravel will suit it the most, and then stick to a maximum of three different elements. For example, choose gravel, stone and brick, or gravel, metal and wood.”

Likewise, choosing a good climbing plant to green your space is essential, says Bob Richmond-Watson. “As they are usually planted on a wall,” Bob explains, “aspect is everything, then it’s down to thinking about where it will be viewed from and how close people can get to it; if it’s for a backdrop then a simple curtain of green leaves such as Hedera Helix may work, but if you are regularly passing close by, then a variegated one such as Hedera Helix ‘Glacier’ may provide something more interesting.

Then there’s smell to consider, too: “If you are going to walk under it or past it,” Bob adds, “use scented climbers such as roses and honeysuckles so you can be enveloped in their fragrance. A favourite rose of mine is repeat flowering David Austin’s Rosa Crown Princess Margaret – it has a strong fruity scent and blush flowers that fade so beautifully.”

In short, a courtyard garden offers a world of choice, and although there are rules you can follow to ensure yours had a classic feel, those rules are made to be broken. Here, we’ve assembled inspiration from the pages of House & Garden, featuring gardeners and interior designers who have used these enclosed spaces to create something uniquely transportative.