Wild and free
Meredith Kirton, author of Dig, Plot and An Hour in the Garden and presenter on ABC-TV’s Gardening Australia program, has helped with many a courtyard renovation and has sage advice for us all.
Some people are free spirits who don't like to feel boxed in or set in their ways and, for them, a courtyard or garden that is ephemeral and changes with the seasons may well be the most suitable. Gardens like this are wild and free, and characterised by a sense of movement and dynamism through the use of plants like ornamental grasses. In this case, we see fountain grass and the long spidery flower stems produced by the pink gaura, or butterfly bush.
In this garden, there is also a feeling of a journey, hinted at by the positioning of the stepping stones. These natural-looking rock slabs are surrounded by pebble scree, echoing a scene you may find on a mountain slope, and planted with a collection of small alpines and succulents, mosses and grasses – appearing almost as if they self-seeded. Whimsical pieces like the twig-wrapped mirror, oversize metal flower statue and scatter cushions dress the scene and enhance its fairytale appeal.
TOP TIPS
PLANTS FOR WILD AND FREE SPACES
* fountain grass
* gaura, or butterfly bush
* stepping stones
* pebble scree
* succulents
* moss
* alpine plants
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