Made in 2008, this urban courtyard garden is part of a quartet of outdoor spaces, along a roof terrace, atrium & front garden. Following a 2-year extensive home renovation, our busy clients, 2 city full-timers, sought low-upkeep, sociable, well-lit gardens to enjoy mostly at night.
West-facing and secluded by walls, privacy was added to the garden via sleek cedar-slatted screens atop the boundary walls. The south-facing border is planted with Desert Willow & Mexican lilies, while the shaded counterpart border is housing Bamboo & Sedges.
The central focal point feature is a granite waterfall, aligned symmetrically within, yet with an asymmetrical composition within, where the stone is offset from the surrounding rendered plinth. This raised bed is flanked by an architectural, scented Paperbush & Bamboo.
The tiled surface continues the same indoor tiles from the kitchen on the same level, creating a fluid indoor-outdoor expanse, with a hardwood deck snug in between. Lit tall curved turquoise pots frame the sliding doors, planted with New Zealand Flags.
Sculpture & art animate the space with figurative & ethnic pieces, highly conducive to lighting & pivotally positioned. The roof terrace is decked and lowly planted to enable views of the garden. The indoor atrium features tall Birch trees & Ferns, while the front garden has Palm trees in pots.
Further to a central furniture set, an L-shaped, built-in, semi-cantilevered hardwood bench anchors the top right corner by the raised bed, its cavities warmly lit beneath. Above, a striking Downy Japanese Maple contributes the courtyard’s key focal point, blazing in autumn colour, spring blooms & a sculptural multi-stemmed outline.
Ample privacy, lush lighting, low maintenance, easy ergonomics, indoor-outdoor connectivity & handy irrigation, along outdoor space variations between garden, rooftop, atrium & front porch, all make this 36 sqm urban courtyard the home’s most prized room all year round.
Photos: Clive Nichols