I first met the owners of this courtyard garden at a birthday party of a mutual friend and when talk turned to jobs they were very excited as they were working on their own garden but had stalled at the planting stage. A few more glasses of champagne later and we’d agreed a date for me to come and see the space. It was the start of a lovely friendship!

He is incredibly handy and has built much of the garden himself, including cladding the raised back planters and all the slatted wood. She has been keen to get involved with the plants. We went for an architectural look, with lots of texture and form. The garden is very visible from the inside seating area so having something to look at all year is really key.

A large tree fern creates a focal point, with phormiums, a small palm, evergreen shrubs and grasses creating a backdrop for spots of colour from day lilies, agapanthus, verbena and geranium. An Acer palmatum Ben Maiko adds colour and movement against graphite grey painted brick walls, with a couple of Phormium ‘Sundowner’ to pick up on the same colour range.

A metal archway to the back gives the garden some height, with an evergreen jasmine for scent, an early flowering clematis and a long flowering potato vine scrambling up and over.