The Practical Step-By-Step Guide to Patio, Terrace, Backyard & Courtyard Gardening

This beautiful and practical new book is packed with creative ideas for making a successful outside courtyard space. The courtyard is typically an open area surrounded by walls or buildings, and can range from a tiny backyard, an urban terrace or patio area with small-scale gardening, to a more expansively sized area of garden with defined borders. An introductory section gives advice on assessing a site, freshening up existing tired elements and basic planting techniques. Successive chapters on Traditional Lines, Mediterranean Moods, Outdoor Rooms, Productive Spaces, Contemplative Retreats and Contemporary Spaces each look at flooring, walls and screens, plants and containers, ornament and water features, and lighting. Inspirational examples of garden locations are presented, alongside step-by-step methods to explain some of the techniques and features shown. Enclosed outside spaces have tremendous design potential, but require a disciplined approach so that the elements used link fluidly to each other. Each chapter includes a case study with a detailed colour plan explaining the dynamics of the different designed spaces, and describing how specific elements were achieved, such as building a slate path or producing a wall stencil. The structure of the book is highly adaptable so that you can use the practical design ideas within the named style, or mix and match, adapt and develop them to give a personal interpretation. The plant directory gives a comprehensive listing of planting options, each entry complete with propagation, growth patterns, and ideal conditions. The final section on maintenance shows how to keep your courtyard looking its best, including deadheading, watering techniques and repainting fencing and trellis.Over 800 stunning photographs and helpful illustrated garden plans and diagrams make this beautiful book both an inspired armchair read and a practical how-to manual. If you have a space to design from scratch or one that needs an overhaul, here are all the ideas and tools you need in order to transform and give new character to your courtyard.How to plan, design and plant up beautiful and easy-to-maintain garden courtyards, walled spaces, patios, terraces and enclosed backyardsA sourcebook of classic and modern designs and decorative ideas to suit outdoor spaces of every kind of shape and sizeHow to create a courtyard in your favourite style or to suit a specific purpose - a traditional patio, a Mediterranean-style terrace, an outdoor living and dining area, a low-maintenance space, a productive area for growing fruit and vegetables, or one designed around ultra-modern materials Includes step-by-step advice on all the practicalities, from planning a suitable layout and preparing the site to choosing the plants and planting them up Over 842 gorgeous colour images, including garden plans and colour diagrams, step-by-step techniques, and inspirational pictures of terraces, patios and courtyard gardens from around the world