GARDENING: TURN YOUR COURTYARD INTO A GARDEN
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.