week end project stage 2.. french courtyard

Well remember the before.. not very pretty.. but after removing the dog kennel and putting it behind this sandstone/cement wall I set to work prettying it up and trying to make it look a french courtyard. Its only a small space and I am so glad we didn't knock this wall down, as I am so happy with the end result. It actually takes me back to a time when I did live in the mediteranean, Malta actually for 12 years. Our first house there actually had a courtyard for a backyard as many of the houses do over there. Ok, so now comes the after, it's still not complete as I want to pave an area and need to plant my lavender... Ok the first thing I did was pull out these old shutters that had been stored in our shed, that I found at a garage sale for $2 each! I painted them a dulux 'blue oar' and then distressed them a little. All I spent to do this makeover was $7, the cost of the paint.. everything else I had either in the garden or lying around in my potting area! I knew they'd come in handy someday..

I really tried to capture the ambience in the photos but proved to be very hard, it's just so lovely sitting here now with a capuccino..

Those shutters really made such a difference! I had lots of plants in terracotta pots. The kumquat and red geraniums really gave it an authentic feel. I think it turned out more of a country 'farm' french or tuscan courtyard.

I had some old farm implements like the cutters hanging from the shutter and old fork sitting by the table. A lady statuette graces the window sill.

Down the back of my property where all the bush is about 3 months after we moved in we had bushfires and totally destroyed all the foliage on the trees. All that was left was a silhoutte of black tree stumps and white ash. It was quite beautiful in an eery kind of way. But I found these old cast metal sides of a garden bench, they are now leaning against the wall.

I have also planted some ivy at the base of the wall so hopefully it won't take too long before it climbs its way up. I also put some in a large pot sitting in the table to make a heart shape topiary. An old fly spray can is now sitting there too.. I could never find a place for that thing!

I had an old cafe style table round the other side of the house. Very very old and chippy.. looks great here with just enough touches of blue paint left showing through.

In this last pic this is the section in between my hedges and where my courtyard is. As luck would have it I had planted 2 grape vines along this fence, which don't have any leaves just yet and will really add to the look. I have ordered my lavender and that's where I'll be planting it in the long strip of soil underneath the vines. Hopefully it won't take me too long to finish it and I can post some more pics for you to see.... bye for now and take care girls.. Maryann