Courtyard garden

Geraniums in pots in assorted colours would be beautiful.

I already do those. I want scent, colour, sense of chaotic riotous splendour!

My kitchen garden is like a courtyard with beds at each side and has a few pots of lavender and rosemary, hibiscus in a sunny spot, fuschias, strawberries, tomatoes, lemon thyme, basil, small olive tree, small Braeburn apple still in a pot, hydrangea, and a few patio roses. But of a mish-mash when the peas and beans and fruit trees are growing, but plenty of colour.

Rosemary and lavender in your pots. Dig up the occasional paving stone and plant up the space. Erect a trellis be grow a scented climbing rose and clematis up it together. Hollyhocks will grow in any old cotner with the minimum of soil.

Google 'night scented...' and it will throw up stocks, phlox, tobacco. Sit out here with a patio table and glass of wine and soak up the scent.

Scatter violet, pansy seeds into any cracks between the paving stones. Find an old sink, plant up and add this to the mix. Wallflowers will grow anywhere too and give early colour and scent.

Whatever you choose, make sure you have pots of dahlias for autumn colour.

A great place to go for ideas is Barnsdale Gardens, the gardens of Geoff Hamilton, now looked after by his sil and daughter. It has lots of small self contained gardens on many themes. Only a few minutes away from lovely Oakham in Rutland and Rutland Water.

Sounds as if it's going to be fabulous!

Here are a few wonderfully colourful plants...

California Poppies
Rudbeckia
Nemsia
Black Eyed Susan for a trellis
Calendula
Impatiens
Snap Dragons
Phlox