A mini spring makeover

SOME WELL-CHOSEN POTS AND A LITTLE BIT OF TLC BRINGS NEW LIFE TO A DULL COURTYARD

- DIARMUID GAVIN

THIS week I've been busy getting my garden into shape. There's a small courtyard patio in front of the kitchen that was in need of some attention.

It's a paved area with mainly ever- green planting such as bamboos, fatsia, ferns, and euphorbia. Soon the forsythia will produce a dazzling display of gold-yellow flowers and in summer the ‘Annabelle’ hydran- gea will come into flower. However, at this time of year, it was distinctly lacking in colour.

Central to the courtyard, an old Lutyens bench was looking the worse for wear - the blue paint was wearing off and there was even some moss growing on it that had settled in over winter.

It was calling out for some atten- tion so it was time to give it a new lease of life.

I also had two topiary bay trees that needed a home so my plan was to plant these, refurbish the bench and add some vibrant spring colour by planting up a selection of terra- cotta pots with flowering bulbs. So the first job was to plant the bay trees.