Traditional Courtyard Garden in Worthington

Traditional Courtyard Garden in Worthington, Leicestershire

A big oak pergola in a tiny courtyard garden sounds like a mistake. But in this garden in Worthington, Leicestershire, it turned out to be just right.

The original plot was a plain and awkward L-shape – hot and sunny in parts, deep shade under an old brick wall, and no obvious way to improve it. Once our clients had their new bi-fold doors installed, the walls felt more like an imposing boundary.

We designed the garden with a green oak pergola to give a focal point. It’s big for the space, but completely right for it. It draws the eye up and out, and makes the whole garden feel larger.

Warm porcelain paving from London Stone has replaced some tired old slabs. The lawn went too – it took up room and gave little back, and our clients don’t miss it.

Our traditional cottage garden planting scheme does the rest, complementing and softening the brickwork and screening the overlooking windows. Nearly all of it is new – just one established climbing hydrangea stayed.

Nervous at the start, our clients now have privacy, shade, a changing palette of plants and a framed view that they, and Billy the dog, enjoy from indoors and outdoors every day.