We live in a rented house and recently we have had our back 'garden'
converted into a courtyard, half slabbed half shingles. Should help the
200-year-old house dry out.

The courtyard is east-facing in Jersey and gets the sun from early
morning until late afternoon (when it goes behind the four-storey house).
With walls all round it's a proper little sun-trap. We've not had a frost
in the last five years (i.e. as long as we've lived here).

Think Mediterranean courtyard with lower average temperatures

So, glad to see the back of the weedy 'borders' and rampant ivy, we are
now into container gardening. We are looking to grow standard bay, an
olive and already have a healthy agapanthus. Suggestions for other
specimen plants e.g. palms suitable for container-growing would be very
welcome. Nothing that makes too much mess, though - that's the dogs' job.

tia

Derek