Treated properly, courtyards can be a sustainable gardener’s private paradise. It’s simply a matter of planning your planting according to the amount of direct sunlight it receives and, if you have none at all, there are still solutions by the score.

If the courtyard is completely paved then an incredible range of climbers/ramblers/creepers can be encouraged to flourish in strategically placed, very large clay pots or other suitable containers all around the walls. Most plants falling into these three categories are perfectly happy to have their roots in the shade — as is often the case in a courtyard for at least part of the day — as long as their heads can enjoy some sunshine. Covering courtyard walls with climbers/ramblers/creepers creates a lovely effect that sets off other, smaller plants. Living walls such as these also invite birds to nest in them and these, too, can provide hours of pleasure no matter the season.

Planting with sustainability in mind means opting for perennial plants, rather than just seasonal ones which have to be replaced two or three times a year to keep the walls covered. Ideal courtyard climbers, providing their heads get at least four hours of direct sun each day, include the following: Allamanda, Banisteria laurifolia, Tecoma grandiflora, Bignonia venusta, Bougainvillea, passion flowers, Quisqualis indica, jasmine, climbing/rambling roses and Solanum seafortheanum. In shady courtyards receiving very little or no direct sunlight, these are worth a try: Asparagus plumosa, Jacquemontia violacea, money plants, ivies, honeysuckle, Philodendron and Monsteria deliciosa.

A sure-fire way to turn your outdoor space into a paradise that you’ll enjoy and want to spend time in

All potting compost/soil should be fairly rich and well-draining with approximately 35 percent of old, well-rotted, organic manure/organic compost mixed in with sweet earth and river (not sea) sand prior to being put in the pots. The pots themselves should be slightly elevated, stood on a triangle of bricks for example, so that drainage of excess water is maintained.

The majority of climbers/ramblers/creepers will need some firmly fixed form of trellis or strong netting to wrap their tendrils around as they climb. These should be placed before the actual plants are put into position or, if you are planting in actual garden borders alongside the walls, before plants are put into prepared ground.

One or preferably two compost bins, plus a bin for brewing compost tea in, should be placed in a corner where any intrinsic ugliness can be easily disguised by surrounding plants. The compost, when mature, can be used as a mulch/top dressing, on top of existing soil in the pots whenever it has shrunk down a few inches and the compost tea is an excellent general tonic and foliar feed once a month all around the year in hot spots such as Karachi, though less often, if at all, in areas with distinctly cold winters.

Medium-sized shrubs that are happy in partial shade can also be placed in strategic spots here and there with Clerodendron, Crotons, Duranta, Frangipani, Ixora, Panix, Poinsettias, Queen-of-the-night and Chandni all being happy in suitably large pots.

If the courtyard is large enough, a single, small growing/dwarf fruit tree — or even a group of say three of them in large clay pots — makes an attractive, productive centrepiece: papaya, cheeku, sharifa, guava, lemon and anar being good examples. Seasonal flowers, in pots or directly in the ground, can be grown around tree bases for extra spots of colour.

An alternative courtyard centrepiece is a large, decorative cement pot without a drainage hole, on which a water lily plant will flourish, as long as it gets at least four hours of direct sunlight.

An ornamental birdbath is yet another option and is an especially good one if you wish to attract a variety of birds to your courtyard garden.

Maximising courtyard space and adding dashes of bright seasonal colour is a sustainable option even though, at first thought, it may not sound like one. If the courtyard receives at least four hours — preferably six hours — of sunshine each day, strategically placed pots/hanging baskets of seasonal beauties will provide food and sustenance for birds, butterflies, bees and other beneficial insects. If, however, the courtyard is a shady one, then masses of different coloured ferns and other shade loving plants, such as Sanseveria, Anthurium, Caladium, Maranta, Tradescantia and Zebrina can all be used to good, colourful, effect.

If water is a major problem, courtyards can also be designed without a single plant in sight and they can still be vibrant and colourful. Walls can be painted in any colour that strike your fancy, murals can be painted on them, they can have attractive tiles inset here and there and the same goes for the flooring as well. Tiled courtyards were extremely popular in years gone by and in these days of water stress, it is a good idea to reintroduce the trend.

Please continue sending your gardening questions to zahrahnasir@hotmail.com. Remember to include your location. The writer does not respond directly by email. Emails with attachments will not be opened.

Published in Dawn, EOS, March 31st, 2019