Viewing our new home in September 2007, taken from the cottage at the back

Oh how I long for a blank canvas like this!

Great!! You have so much to work with. :o)

Your home looks like the one I grew up in, very nice, love brick you know.
Yes I do believe you will have better luck growing here than on concrete.

Looking at the home by this photo I would say about 800 to 900sq ft give or take? How wide is the lot? A standard lot here is 50 ft wide and 100ft deep.

Come on you can do it! We will help you with our fingers lol.

Hi Vilai - just found your blog. I'm just starting out on a new garden too, without much knowledge, so I'll be glad to see how you get on. It looks as if this garden has great potential - but I agree, it looks like a lot to deal with at one go! If you look at my photos you'll see I'm only dealing with a little front patch, and that's enough for me just now.

One thing I'd say though - if you don't mind a tip from my p.o.v. - my mum had a garden a bit like this a few years ago. She went at it bit by bit with no overall plan, and ended up with the main features - border, pond, trees, and swing seat arranged sort of round the edges, making it a bit square and (don't read this mum!) less varied and mysterious than I'd have liked myself - I like to see corners, curves, and paths going out of sight. Too romantic, I guess... Anyway, now she's got those main big things in, it's hard to change the basic layout.

What I'm saying, I suppose, is get the big things planned in first (like where the paths, trees, etc. might go to split up the space) then tackle it a little at a time?

Hope you don't mind these thoughts from a complete know-nothing. I've just been thinking about how to tackle my own place, and this is what I thought! Enough burble - good luck and good weather!

Gosh, Fairweather, I think your suggestion is very logical and inspiring without being daunting....great advice for Vilai....I have no advice as I am struggling with similar issues and a space full of rocks..good luck to both of you....

you will be happy to work there!