BEFORE & AFTER Courtyard, kitchen & bathroom solutions
A dull and uninspiring courtyard space has become a stunning Mediterranean-style sanctuary
Abigail Roberts and her husband Simon, both 42, couldn’t believe their luck when they stumbled across a four-bedroom home for sale in Surrey. Though, while the house was exactly what they were looking for, the garden left a lot to be desired
Tell us about the house. It’s in an unusual setting
It’s made up of a converted barn, kennels and a piggery, with parts dating back to the 16th century. The previous owners had turned it into a three-bedroom property five years ago. It was once owned by 1930s filmmaker J Arthur Rank, and we liked the fact that it’s quirky and different, surrounded by countryside but with an almost entirely closed-in central courtyard. Despite the rural setting, the nearest town is just a few minutes’ walk away.
What was the garden like when you moved in?
Dull, old-fashioned and uninspiring; it sloped away from the main part of the house and was covered in stone chips and paving, with lots of weeds. The secluded and private space felt dark and needed bringing back to life. Simon and I had thought about tackling it ourselves but then got talking to a neighbour, Carol Bridges, who is a garden designer. We knew we could do so much more with it and had lots of ideas, but thought we’d benefit from Carol’s professional advice.
Can you share your inspiration for the outdoor scheme?
A photo in a book and our travels around Italy formed the starting point; we love staying in small boutique hotels and spas. The courtyard is a sun trap and buying two very large olive trees led to us creating a scheme with a Mediterranean feel. Carol’s brief was to design a Tuscan-style garden with a contemporary edge, to match the house’s interior. Our wishlist included a dining area with a pergola, a water feature and a wooden hot tub that would blend in with the surroundings, which we sourced from Canada.
The mix of materials has a real impact
Simplicity of design was important as we wanted the other surfaces, such as the Reigate stone walling, aged roof tiles and wooden cladding, to feature. Carol incorporated three different levels to accommodate the slope, with wide steps down from the highest entrance level. The hard landscaping paired grey Jura limestone with composite decking in a warm red-tinged Golden Oak, with rusted Corten-style fibreglass planters, which look great all year round.
Talk us through the planting
Olive trees are the main focus with low-maintenance grasses, ferns and hellebores in a palette of acid green, purple and white. As well as the low-level planters there are taller ones for height and it’s been planned so there’s always something in bloom, with evergreens in the winter. We wanted to keep it simple with rows of the same plants, and colourful pots of rosemary and other herbs and flowers dotted around.
If you had to choose one favourite thing...
That would be the olive trees. I can sit and look at them all day; they’re simply beautiful and set the tone for the rest of the design. They do need regular trimming to keep them in shape but are very hardy. The sunny courtyard spot suits them perfectly.
You had a definite vision for the pergola?
We wanted something inspiring, but calming. The position of the dining table was discussed at length. Although we’re not huge entertainers we like having family and close friends over and get great pleasure out of seeing people enjoying the space. The pergola has a removable canopy that we can attach if we want shade. We love the fact that the all-weather dining chairs can be left outside, too.
Did you ask for a lighting scheme to be included?
Yes, all the lights are operated via a remote control. Spotlights illuminate the trees and water feature, and we’ve kept the original wall lights for a mix of old and new. Now the courtyard has a real connection with the house so we use it a great deal more. And when the sun’s shining, it feels as though we could be almost anywhere in the world.