Help me design my garden please!

[FourForYouGlenCoco]

We moved house towards the end of last year and our new garden is fabulous but quite plain - I love the openness and the space and don’t want to do too much, but would like to do a bit more planting and add a few more closed off areas. But I am semi novice and have no clue where to start! Chickens are going in on the right hand side behind the playhouse (third photo, need to finish moving the compost heap!), there’s a sheltered/shaded tree-ish area down on the back left hand side, behind the trampoline (second photo), which I was thinking of turning into a space for the kids - doesn’t get much sun so was thinking of a growing arch, big flagstone path, mud kitchen, bit of a small world/succulent type garden with fairy door/dinosaurs/whatever? Would like a practical growing section too for veggies, herbs, whatever - maybe at the front in front of the playhouse if I get some sleepers to turn into a planter? What would you do if you were me - any and all help and ideas will be gratefully received!

I’d draw out a plan, where the shady area are, the chicken coop. The sunny sitting area, a sunny morning coffee area, kids area, bbq?

You could probably just have a veg bed rather than a raised bed.

Think about a path, probably curvy. She’d? Compost area, greenhouse...

The chickens would be happiest in the wooded area. They like trees and shrubs.

I'd start with a veg plot in the place that gets a good amount of sun. Start small and extend as you go.

If you have some money for it I'd start with 'hard landscaping' - a path and patio. Otherwise may be just some sunken stepping stones that you can mow over.

Then I'd do just one flower bed, quite deep with several flowers or shrubs of the same sort. Tall at the back, smaller at the front. Again start small and extend as you go if you want to. Or do an oval bed with a tree/tall shrub at one end.

Don't put everything at the edges. Don't be afraid to cut across the garden and create a 'room'.

if you have little kids, make big flower beds with little paths behind them that will make a maze for kids to run along.

have a paved area with seating & plant pots, ideally in the sun

plant herbs like Sage and Rosemary near the house so you get a nice scent and can pick bits for cooking easily.