What impressed me enormously about the outdoor rooms at Ellerslie, and in explorations of landscape design on the net, is that you can get more than a dining table, four chairs, a small pond, a tub of herbs, three pairs of workboots, a yard broom and a box of unwanted kitchen stuff destined for the SPCA in a 4m x 6m space. And you can make it look bigger and better with clever design.
The secret is in the floor. Hard flooring is preferable because if you're eating, drinking and entertaining you need a level surface underfoot. Having said that, it doesn't all have to be the same level. A slightly raised platform can provide a clearly defined eating area and add visual interest to the space. And a step up from the entrance level to the sitting/eating/drinking area gives the illusion of more space. Conversely, if you have a huge area, changes of level will create more intimate areas and make it seem less cavernous.
Mix'n'match materials will also define the areas of your outdoor room. Combine concrete or paving with timber decking for visual impact and to delineate an area for a specific activity, or separate a large paved area by adding channels of pebbles, shells or Mondo grass. If you're arty, make a mosaic path or a sundial as a focal point in the centre. And don't discount lawn. A little patch of green will remind you that you are, in fact, outside.
Most contemporary courtyards have ponds or water features. I'm not sure why this has become a given, but it has, so you may need to add one.
Power will be required if you want something that bubbles, gurgles or sprays, but you can keep it simple by using a large concrete, terracotta or metal basin-shaped vessel and fill it with fresh water. Plants will help to keep the water cleaner for longer.
I empty our pond with a bucket and use the water for the plants inside and directly outside the walls. Once it's refilled, I add blue food colouring to give it a tropical look without poisoning the dog, who regards it as her personal drinking fountain.
Two rickety wooden chairs and an apple box do not a stylish courtyard make, so choose furniture that'll serve your needs and suit the space. Built-in furniture saves space, so if your space is limited, consider putting your table in a corner and installing bench seating along each wall. This works equally well for a sitting or dining area.
If you have a big, rustic outdoor room then big, rustic timber furniture is fine, but if space is at a premium, you may need pieces that make a bit less of a statement. A round dining table may work better than a square or rectangle, and a shade that matches walls or floor will look smaller than a contrasting colour.
In a really big area, use internal half walls, cupboard units or, dare I say it, a bar, to create more intimate spaces.
And, in case you should forget that this is all about outdoor living, bring in some plants. This year's Ellerslie show focused very much on plants - a timely reminder, I think, that this is what gardening is mostly about.
Most of us are not lucky enough to have a gnarly old olive tree growing in the centre of the outdoor room, so chances are you'll need to use containers or planter boxes. Olives, citrus trees, palms and many shrubs will do very well in big pots, and you can fill planter boxes with annuals, grasses, day lilies, star jasmine and daisies.
A shade sail, a couple of umbrellas or a covered pergola and you're good to go, rain or shine.
