A small garden design for a Victorian mid-terrace house in Exeter

This south-facing backyard is only 24 sq m in area.

It was covered in an uneven mixture of conctete and grubby brickwork on two different levels.

The client, who is a keen plantswoman and works from home, wanted us to create a pleasant level space which would also become the classic 'room outside' in the summer months, in which she could garden, work and entertain.

To maximise space for seating, we levelled the area and paved it with a combination of sandstone and decorative brickwork.

To maximise planting space, we designed and commissioned four 'Versailles' tubs for each corner of the sitting area, covered all the walls with scented climbers, and created as many new borders as possible.

To create the illusion of greater space, we mirrored the screens concealing the water-butt and storage area in the 'alley' to the side of the house.

As storage space is at a premium in such a small garden, we designed and commissioned two benches with buit-in storage.

The planting plan was designed to provide interest throughout the year, while the Versailles planters allowed the client to easily ring the changes.

Finally, as the garden was unbearably hot in summer, we covered the sitting area with a sun awning which could be retracted to allow the planting to flourish when it was not required.