I have a massive massive garden project, and I dont even know where to start. HELP!

[QuintessentialOHara]

My garden is North facing, and big. We are in South West London. So fairly acidic soil.

I need to returf, need a new fence, need to make proper borders, need paths and plant suggestions. I have one sunny side, and one side that only gets morning sun?

I am feeling lost. But I hate living in mess, and I hate the garden being in such a state.

If I post pictures, would you be able to help???

I'm no help at all but currently in the same situation so just gonna watch iyswim

we all love a black canvas and would love to help you spend lots of money on planting a new garden

Quick get those pictures up and i am sure you will be swamped with suggestions.

Maybe start my drawing out a rough plan to include:

• where you want the paths to go (have you thought about where you might need them to go from and to eg. door/gate/washing line/ shed etc)

• where you want seating to go as that might determine where a patio or paths go (think about where the sun is at what times of day)
• position of things like a washing line, shed, compost bin
• do want to screen off any areas (like the compost bin)

Then think about how high or low maintenance you want it to be, and how productive (eg, fruit trees, veg) and get some advice on what suits your requirements plant-wise?

OOOhh it is far from a blank canvas, it is a MESS!

Just give me a moment!

Pictures in profile now, it is a terrible mess.

Looks like you need to do a lot of cutting back as the conifers are taking a lot of room and making your garden very shady.

I would start by doing the cutting back and some general maintenance before anything more. Your fence and shed looks like they could do with a wood treatment (no need to replace unless the wood has rotted)and i cant see what that stuff is that is growing over the fence from next door. In any event it looks like it needs shaping and tidying up.

Then draw out a plan of the garden with lawn area, sheds, patio and where your beds are going to be and whether they will be in shade, dappled shade or sunny so you can choose plants that will suit the position.

Good advice already about cutting back and making a list of what you want in it. I'd also take some pictures throughout the day of where the sun is, ideally do it after cutting back and then again in May/June. That will help you work out what you can plant and where, where to put seating etc

Hi,
Your garden doesn't look that awful, I agree about advice given already about cutting plants back and thinking about what you want; also focusing on one area at a time lets you off the hook about how you feel about the whole garden(works for me!) and won't feel so overwhelming.

You could get rid of all the blue plastic, paint your garden furniture with dark oak preservative, feed your lawn, weed the beds and mulch with a 4in layer of compost, cut back conifers.
Then think about what colours and style you would like and have a browse round the rhs website.

I agree - step one is to cut it all back.

Then, can you take a photo from an upstairs window that gives you a clear view of what's there? It may help you decide what you want where.