A Courtyard Garden on a Budget..

Wow! Well done Flori :o))))

It looks fantastic Flori, love it all. In fact I think you should both come here and do a makeover for me..... if you don't.... I'll talk about you:-)

Brilliant Flori, I really enjoyed your 1st. makeover of the courtyard but this one is fantastic, what a difference you have made to the entire place, no wonder your neighbours love it.

That looks fantastic Flori. I love the artwork, it looks really good there. But the whole thing is lovely.

That is fantastic, quite inspiring, I really like the colours you have chosen to compliment the iron work, well done.

Your new area looks so good Flori and so inviting. You can set up a little business there now and offer teas and cakes with your table and chairs you have there..lol
;-)

Wow that is really pretty, you have done a great job, just shows what can be done with a little imagination, no wonder the neighbours are pleased. Clever you. :O)

That's wonderful - so artistic. the metalwork picture really makes it look unique. You well deserve to enjoy sitting out there.

What an excellent makeover - you should all be pretty proud of what you have done. Neighbours must be kicking their height that you have done this.

Fantastic makeover Florida you have worked a miracle.

I love it,Flori..especially the metal arches and artwork..and the colour really opens the area up so much,with the light colours you have chosen..just brilliant,well done :o)

Oh you are so clever,and have such vision.You could hire yourself out for makeover consults

Just beautiful Flori & i love H. 'brass lantern'...

That's a fantastic job, I love it. I love all of it, it's so inviting now. Well done!
I couldn't help but think perhaps gravel over the unsightly cement might be an easy way to hide it. With perhaps stepping stones path ways through it. You wouldn't have the expense of having the concrete jack hammered up and all the work involved. Just pour down gravel, or decking over it either, just a thought.

It's a lovely,lovely area now Flori...it's so pretty and loved where before it looked a little sad. You really are fantastic at making areas over....I bet you are really 'made up' yourself! what a triumph!

Wow! Thank you all for so many comments on my new blog! I really appreciate each and every one of you who have gone to the effort to post on here to me! I was quite shocked when I logged back on by the response. I am so glad that you all liked it and could share my vision..

I am a little restricted because the concrete floor slopes so badly Angie, that any gravel would just end up piled against the houses, but concrete could never be called attractive, so we are hoping that when finances allow us to, we can just level the slope out, add a central drainage gully, and slab over it all. There are so many lovely designs out there in Patio slabs and it could look really spectacular..but ho hum, it will be when our cash flow is a lot healthier than it is at the moment.
It is difficult, as the two owners of the properties attached to ours are private leasing their homes, and will not want the extra expense in helping finance levelling the ground which is understandable. But watch this space...Inspiration may yet strike..lol \0/xxx

That's a fantastic makeover! Well done you (and OH). Hope you get that lottery win so you can pave the area. :o)

Well done Flori ..
I've added to GoYpedia Wall Mangers :o)

Thank you Nariz..here's hoping on that lottery win! lol

Thank you Terra..I never realised there was so many categories on Goy! Thank you both so much for looking in on me..\0/x

The blog is very worthy of being on GoYpedia
:o))) x

Bless you my friend..Your work for us is always appreciated Terra..Hope the 'boys' are keeping well and you too..\0/x

Wow indeed, a really nice makeover of that area Flo, great to see blogs of decent work

Thank you, Flori, for those very kind words.
:o) x
'Boys' are doing fine thanks. How is Raff ?

An absolutely terrific make-over Flori, your one in a million when it comes to neighbours, bet they can`t believe their luck.

Flori, if the slope is that bad, would it be possible or desirable to make a step or two...you could break up the concrete, then put in railway sleepers etc. and then the gravel would stay put?

Have you seen the resin bound quartz coatings that can be applied over even cracked concrete? I just discovered them a couple of days ago. Good because you don't have to remove the old concrete first. You can also incorporate patterns of a different colour if you don't mind the cost going up!

Flori its delightful, such hard work for you both with wonderful results.....is Raffles behaving himself........

flori it looks fab and so much better, a nice palce to sit with a glass of something to catch up with neighbours lol
well done :o))

I agree with Karensusan add a step or 2 by the door with slabs or whatever u like. In fact u could add a slab in front of each door like a mat then the gravel around it. At your door u could add a few like a deck area. The gravel would make it easy to even out the area and it could be easily raked back to get to drains if need be. Could add a few slab here & there to stand pots on and to break up the look of all the gravel. I'd say it might be the cheapest way to revamp the ground, but as u like, whatever u think is best.

It looks absolutely gorgeous floribunda. I love the colour of the doors. And what a great idea with the mirrors in the alcoves. Looking even lovelier with plants having grown some.
Genius. Love it.
I'm going out to sit in the workshop now and give my garden gate another coat of hammerite! Did first coat yesterday and of course it's chucking it down now, but I'll be okay in there, so long as I'm not sat under a drip! (the roof leaks a little).

Wow Flori, it's really beautiful now, a stunning area to sit and have a coffee......well done!

I never expected such great comments or great ideas being put forward on this blog, so thank you all, especially Angie, Steragram and Karen! It certainly is making me look at it again with fresh eyes, to see if we can do something with it until we can afford to level the surface, which really does need doing because of the way rain water pools towards the houses. Bath stone is very porous and that is what all the houses are built of here as we are so close to Bath.
In my minds eye, I know this area could look fantastic, it is just having the money to complete the project. I will keep you updated my friends. Thank you all so much for taking the time to look in on me and post.
Next job on my list is to repaint the cast metal table and chairs..and what fun that will be! (not!)..lol \0/x

What a great blog :o)
Sorry I missed it earlier. I can't keep up with it all sometimes lol
Your courtyard looks quite Maditerranean :o) It's lovely and a pleasure to see :o)

Hello Hywel! How lovely to see you here my friend.Thank you for looking in on me and I hope you enjoyed my blog..Thank you for your lovely post..\0/x

y w :o) x

\0/xxx

Flori that is smashing, you have transformed the whole area, your neighbours are so lucky sharing with you, I love the metal artwork, the planting, in fact eveything........

Oh bless you Linclass, that is such a lovely compliment..Still hoping to get something done with the awful concrete surface but been inundated with some great advice from Goy members so watch this space..lol.. I love metal artwork in a garden as it adds extra visual interest The new lighting we added has really made a difference of an evening too especially now darker nights are drawing in..Will keep you all updated. \0/x

WOW! That is fantastic! I haven't seen your page before, so... pleased to meet you. What a clever lady you are. You have inspired me to redo our storeroom which is very similar shape to this. I had just painted it terracotta and added window boxes on a wooden shelves and it is definitely in need of a face lift. All I've got to do now is convince my hubby! lol. Have put it in my favourites so that I can go back to it.

Rose, it is a real pleasure to meet you too! I actually found some older photos I had taken that I might add to this just to show what a dreadful state it was originally in, though even after this makeover, it can still be improved upon.
We have to work on such a small budget, that it does make me think out of the box, and most makeovers need more work than money thrown at them. The arched frames I used in the alcoves, were actually originally interior mirrors for the home.
I removed the mirrors, repainted the plastic framework and they fitted in a treat in the alcoves for effect and to help aid the climbing plants. It was more recycling really.. Sometimes it is more a case of moving things around, and reusing in different ways..Inspiration can really take many forms. I wish you success my friend in your storeroom makeover too..Thank you so much for looking in on me Rose..\0/

Your very welcome. Although I don't think I would have the patience to paint the whole building white! I'm not a great fan of painting and my hubby cannot stand for long periods at a time , due to his disabilities, but it has given me other ideas to make it look better. This long store room is in my last years blog ( I think) of a walk round the garden in June. I'll apologise now incase this is the wrong blog, but if you have time to look at it, you will see what its like now. I'm always open to ideas.

Have been popping into your blogs Rose and am amazed at your garden and all the wonderful areas in it! Think I saw the store room you were referring to as well..You and your OH have a wonderful flair for design..\0/x

I'm not in your league, Flori. What you have done is amazing. I'm just basic when it comes to design ideas.

Think that is how we all start off though Rose. I often start something and feel it evolve as I'm creating it..It doesn't always go to plan lol, but sometimes it works out better than the original idea. I keep telling my OH that the garden 'talks' to me and tells me what it wants LOL!.. Every design, no matter how complex, starts from the very basics..\0/x