Hi dj62
Well lets start with the shed, paint it a nice light blue "outside"
And then put two brackets just under the outside window and mount a nice window box and fill it with hanging geraniums, " white and red coloured"

next to the shed door opening fix a hanging basket holder and then again a nice basket filled with a variety of hanging and upright plants, yellow/red/white coloured.

The green plastic table! give it to someone you dont like and replace it with a good BBQ, a brick one with a full concrete chimney, they look good and work well & they've an chimney with an over top on them so that tree wont be set on fire,
On one side of this bbq make a nice work top for the food prep, "use a material thats weather tight ie slate mounted on brick supports.

From the corner of the shed going towards that new fence make a low fence split in the middle with a nice open arch shape (no gate just an arch) the low fence (FT HIGH)
would be nice in a trellis type idea and the arch the same so that both a climbing rose and roses along the fencing will set this fence off and let the night lights show through the fencing.
A nice outside light attached to the shed appex and directed towards the bbq,

The lawn area,
we're that orange ball is!
(left of picture)
and the corner opposit it !!!
cut two large half moon shapes out of the lawn and put a standard fussia in each half moon, at the base of these fussia plant or sow tagets, (orange) cover the complete area around the shrubs.

Along that new fencing towards what i think is a patio
you can put urns full of flowers or make a border but not just the norm border but one thats a huge half moon shape again but from one corner all the way to the corner near to the house,
you've now got lots of space to have a riot of flowers and colour
The grass area,!
I'd say start to love it ie feed it and water it and put nice stepping stones from your table to the arched opening to your bbq.

Thats about as much as your picture is showing so thats as far as i can go.
Hope it gives you some idea's how to bring some life back into your garden.

Do you mean with the whole garden? I would start by removing the ivy from the shed and also think about painting it with wood preserver. Then we need to know which direction the garden faces, ie where the sun shines and for how long, and what you want to use the garden for - it looks as though you have children, and it may be hard to keep a small lawn green if its is played on regularly.
But you have a useful piece of trellis which would support a nice climber once we know which direction it faces. There is room to put another section on top so your climber would eventually cover most of that wall. Are those white patches on the right large pebbles, and if so are they cemented down? It would also be helpful to know what the shrubs and trees are - if you don't know, could you post photos please? And do you have to do it all on a tight budget? This will make a difference to what we can realistically suggest - eg a new BBQ might be just dreamland for now! When we have all this info I'm sure lots of people will have great suggestions for you.

You are legally entitled to cut off all the conifer that overhangs your garden, but it is sensible to mention this to your neighbour before you do it! Don't cut back beyond where it is green or you will be left with bare branches that won't go green again.

Stop thinking about it as a square.
Create curvy beds, instead of borders around the side which only accentuate a square area, plant perennials and the odd annual, returf with good quality product and voila - the shape and content of the garden is quickly and easily overhauled.

I love the enthusiasm of every ones answers and some great ideas too. I would start on the outside and work my way in, create a beautiful frame for your garden by painting the shed and the fence - black fence paint is lovely and the colours of plants and flowers look stunning against it. I would then put trellis up on every bit of fence and plant an assortment of climbers to ramble through it. I would also trellis the side of the shed and have climbers going up that too. Create lovely deep borders where you can then start on a main structure - tall perennials at the back then mid then small ones a the front. Re turf the rest of the grass you have and have a feature in the middle, bird bath, water feature a small shrub or weeping tree. I heard that if you plant large things in small gardens it makes it look bigger and it certainly worked for me as mine is quite small. Be bold and brave and let your garden style and plant choice you. Good luck with it, I hope you keep us posted on what you do and how its going.

Thanks to all for the ideas. Today, I have cut back the trees to the back of my garden and the shrubs andI can now see my shed.
I can't have a BBQ on the hard standing by the shed as the debris from the trees falls constantly.
I will keep you posted with photos on the progress but be patient as I am doing this on my own. By the way, I don't have kids just a jack Russell that uses the grass for ablutions.
I appreciate all the comments, thanks again

Hi Dj62,
Just an added bit of help as your going it alone and this is to help with the jack russell and his ablutions,

Ive 4 rescue dogs and like you i have to look after the "poop patrol" every day and ive made a little collection tool that really takes the strain out of this job,
two things are needed,
(1) a set of those tweaser like claws you get from the pet shop for picking things up with,
(2) You buy a plastic milk container (the one that has its own handle) when used cut the botom off but leave the lid on in place,
And thats it;
You now have a perfect set of tools for both lifting and putting the poop into and then you can dispose of it as you see fit,
Makes the job a lot more simple.