garden as it is now

High Catherine and welcome to GOY. Well the expensive hard landscaping has been done so this is half way to looking super.
Firstly I would like to ask is this a garden for children and or pets? What do you want from it? Do you have a budget? and what are the condition, Dry, shady, clay soil windy, or sunny, it looks as if the high fence lets in some light?
Garden slopes ( I have had 2) can work for you in that being raised up they can give a colourful back ground or hiding places/dens for children.

oh thank you for the reply. We have a little boy who is 4 and a big bouncy lab dog, a rabbit and 5 chickens (they are up at the very top corner of the garden in a fenced off area.
I would like it full of flowers, good for wildlife and just to look nice.
The soil is very hard to dig and seems to have lots of large stones in it.
Once the trees have leaves on them it is mainly shaded but the lawn part gets a lot of sun, its not windy.
We are looking at decking the flagged area (to the right of the photo).
I have spent a couple of hours on it this morning trying to tidy it up and ended up spending most of the time on my bottom from sliding down the slope ha ha x

ps budget wise i would be happy to pay what it takes really but would like to have a go myself.

The Chickens will love that top corner with the shade. I would definitely be bulb planting on the slopes ready for spring...And be asking for some great gardening books for Christmas.

yeah the chickens do love it up in the top corner, although getting up and down to feed the chickens etc is really difficult in the wet weather as its just a slope of mud going up. I would love to build a path up to them but really have no idea where to start.
I planted around 200 bulbs last year and only the daffodils and a few tulips came out. I was so disappointed as i thought i would have had wonderful colours all over.

What direction are we looking?
That bank is a glorious platform to work with depending on the sun..........

its a south facing garden but on the slope bit it doesn't get a lot of sun because of the trees.

Lots of potential there...The side slope up to the Chickens could benefit from Railway Sleeper steps, treated already and cut to shape, will last forever...Don't know how handy OH is, as they are heavy...and rope bannister to hold on to...on the way up or down....

The large stones can be utilised on the slope, to help build Rock areas, to plant behind...Once the soil up there has been conditioned, Clematis can be planted to scale your trees, or ropes in between trees as climbing frames...lots of potential, and also reclaiming as much as possible from the garden as you can...It all helps...Walls are ideal for Hanging Baskets, lots of Potential there....:)))

I have large railway sleepers and love them but dangerous as they become very slippery.

Hi D...I can't remember what you can paint them with, but there used to be product on the market that stops that, as the real ones are treated with a tar base, for longevity....Failing that a metal grid similar to a boot scraper can be fitted to the tops...just another thought...

I pour Amilitox on the once a year and it keeps them under control Crissue.

I used to have problems with slipping on my decking near the pond. I bought some roofing felt and tacked it down in strips, you can buy purpose made stuff..

http://www.antislip.uk.com/antislip-decking-strip.html

Give the bench a facelift too...a good rubdown, non toxic paint, both for the Metal Frame and the wooden sections, it will look as good as new, and very smart...

Thanks D...my memory sometimes...lol...:))

thank you for all your comments, it is looking like i will have to get someone in to do the garden as i hurt my back cleaning the chickens out.
We had a kestrel in the garden this afternoon so i cant wait to get it done for more wildlife to enjoy x