Why a sunny courtyard asks for a different plant list

A courtyard facing south or west is a wonderful thing. It is also, in high summer, something of a furnace. Brick walls, paving, rendered fences and neighbouring buildings soak up heat all day and radiate it back through the evening, so a small enclosed space can sit several degrees warmer than an open garden a few streets away. Rain often misses the middle of the courtyard altogether, and what does land on paving runs straight towards the drain rather than the soil.

Trying to fight that with a watering can every evening is exhausting and wasteful. Far better to work with the conditions you have and plant things that evolved for hot, dry summers on thin, stony ground. Once established, they ask very little of you beyond a tidy-up — and most look better, not worse, when the summer turns into a scorcher.

Start with the Mediterranean workhorses

The aromatics are the natural backbone of a hot courtyard. They give you scent, silver-grey foliage and flowers that bees adore, and they are almost impossible to over-dry.

• Lavender — English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) is the hardiest for UK winters; 'Hidcote' and 'Munstead' stay compact and flower generously in full sun. Clip after flowering, but never cut back into old, bare wood.
• Rosemary — upright forms such as 'Miss Jessopp's Upright' make neat small shrubs for a pot or the back of a border. It hates sitting wet, so sharp drainage matters more than richness.
• Thyme — creeping and bushy forms both work, tumbling over paving edges or knitting gaps between stones. Lemon thyme is a joy to brush past.
• Sage and oregano — quick to bulk up, tolerant of neglect, and useful in the kitchen. Purple sage adds a splash of colour for free.

In a genuine sun trap, French lavender (Lavandula stoechas) will thrive too, though it appreciates a little shelter through a cold, wet winter.

Flowering perennials that shrug off drought

With the structure in place, layer in colour from early summer into autumn.

• Sedum — the big border types such as 'Herbstfreude' store water in fleshy leaves and carry flat pink heads that feed bees well into October.
• Sempervivums — houseleeks are perfect for gravel, wall crevices and shallow bowls.
• Nepeta — catmint billows over path edges and repeats if you shear it back after the first flush.
• Salvia — shrubby Mediterranean kinds and later hybrids such as 'Caradonna' are superb in a hot border.
• Erigeron karvinskianus — Mexican fleabane seeds itself into steps and paving joints, softening hard edges with tiny daisies.
• Verbena and gaura — airy, long-flowering and loved by pollinators, though both prefer a sheltered spot.

Cistus, halimium and other sun roses bring a true Mediterranean feel, but they are short-lived and dislike cold, wet winters. Treat them as a bonus rather than a backbone.

Grasses and foliage for texture and movement

Grasses are the secret weapon in an enclosed courtyard. They stir in the slightest breeze, which makes a still space feel alive, and most need no supplementary watering at all.

Stipa tenuissima is the classic — fine, blond and glorious when backlit by evening sun. Blue fescue holds its colour all year in a pot, while Anemanthele lessoniana shifts from green to orange as the season turns. Team them with grey-leaved plants such as santolina, ballota and artemisia for a palette that looks cool even on the hottest afternoon.

Pots, compost and watering that actually works

Most courtyard planting ends up in containers, and that changes the rules. Terracotta in full sun can dry out within a day, so size matters: choose the largest pots the space allows, because a big volume of compost holds moisture far longer than a small one. Line terracotta with grit, or slip a plastic pot inside for extra insulation.

Use a soil-based compost such as John Innes No 2, mixed with roughly a quarter by volume of horticultural grit. Water-retaining granules help in pots, but skip them in open ground. Stand containers on feet so surplus water drains freely — winter waterlogging kills more Mediterranean plants than cold ever does. Top the compost with gravel, which slows evaporation and keeps the collar of the plant dry.

When you do water, water thoroughly. A proper soak twice a week beats a daily sprinkle, because it encourages roots downwards instead of lounging at the surface. Early morning or late evening is best, and a simple soaker line on a timer takes the guesswork out of a fortnight away.

Keeping it looking good through the season

Little and often is the rhythm in a courtyard. Deadhead lavender, nepeta and salvias to keep flowers coming, and cut back spent stems in late summer rather than leaving everything to collapse in autumn. Give shrubs a light trim in spring, once the worst frosts have passed, but resist hard pruning into old wood.

Top-dress containers each spring with fresh compost, and repot every two or three years before the roots knit into a solid mat. Above all, resist the urge to pamper. Plants chosen for drought are often spoiled by kindness: too much water, too much feed and overly rich soil give you floppy growth and fewer flowers. Water sparingly, feed lightly, and let the sun do the rest.