Best tips for a wide and shallow north facing garden?

[Thegirlisnotright]

Yes I know it’s not ideal! Currently it is a rectangle of grass walled on all sides with old breeze block walls (nice). Behind the back wall is a bank and hedgerow that needs to stay. Attached is poor drawing 😆

Shaded block at the bottom is the house. Only saving grace is it’s a bungalow so not as much light blocked out as there might be 🤦‍♀️

@Thegirlisnotright How much sun do you get? Is the bare earth patch completely shaded?

At the least the area next to the hedgerow will be south facing so lots of choice of things to plant there.

Ferns, hostas, hydrangea, acers all like some shade.

I’d grow some climbers up trellis to hide the brick walls, or climbing hydrangea will attach itself without being invasive or damaging to the brickwork like ivy would.

Couple of mirrors to reflect whatever sun you get around the garden?

The bare earth patch gets late afternoon sun in summer. There were a couple of very woody hydrangeas there but I pulled them out. Yes the far wall should be sunny enough, but it’s only about 3ft tall so maybe not enough for climbing plants. It’s a retaining wall, so there’s a grassy bank up to the wall at the top on the other side, then the hedgerow.
I’n Wary of planting all along the back wall as it might make the garden seem even wider and shallower? There is no patio currently either, but I suppose the far right corner would be best for that because of the sun.
Mirrors are a good idea on the walls. I guess I just need to search for garden/outdoor mirrors?

Something sweeping or circular?

We have a wide, shallow garden and have used sweeping paths and circles as the main structure