Gravel...

I think it depends rather on what type of soil was under the plastic, but I expect the soil will be impoverished and will need lota of compost dug in, maybe also some rotted manure if it's available to you. There are some plants that enjoy the more open texture gravel gives - but I just had a horrible thought - you might need to test the soil with a kit because you won't know whether your predecessors used garden grit or road grit!!! Could have some salt left in it?? BEWARE! Death to plants! (Hope I am wrong, but people do funny things in their efforts to get 'low maintenance' gardens)

I agree with Spritz!! Test the soil first. My in-laws bought a house with a gravelled garden at the front and found nothing would grow in it having cleared the gravel. Turned out that the previous owner worked for the railway and had used BR's industrial weedkiller on his gravel!! They were not as lucky as you though - no plastic liner.

Have a ph kit left over from the lottie so will do that...hadn't thought of that, know that it had been used by cats as a toilet...which is anotherr eason i decided not to keep it.

There are some plants that will grow in a soil that has some salt in it - anything that thrives by the sea. This includes alpines like thrift and shrubs like tamarisk so all is not lost