Layout for small garden

[Bambooblue]

Have just moved and am looking to sort out my garden. It is pretty small and square approx 20ft wide by 26ft long.

The first thing I would like is somewhere to sit out in the nice weather. There is currently a narrow patio type area but this is the path from the back door (and bins) to our garden gate so it is used as a walkway.

The second thing I would like to do is downsize the garden shed. It seems far too big for the garden, although it is currently pretty full of stuff, I think I could manage with something smaller. The main things that need to be in there are just bikes and the lawnmower. The rest could be decluttered. Only issue is that I think the shed might be holding up the fence between us and the neighbour on that side so might create more problems.

Was just wondering if anyone had any ideas that I might not have considered. I am thinking I probably need to move the position of the garden gate so I can have a proper seating area?

Can you store your bins elsewhere, maybe outside of the back gate?
Have your seating area where you get the most sun
Are there any plants in it currently? If so, leave it for a year to see what grows where
The shed you can disguise with climbers and a planted border in front of it
If your shed is in the sunniest corner then I would move it to a shadier corner and repair the fence. It'll need doing at some point as even not moving the shed the fence will eventually damage it

We need to know which direction the garden faces.

Depending on where the sun is….

I’d reduce the shed and do a combined Bike and bin store, probably with a green roof.

the gate moving would be a good idea but you’ll need a path to it to get the bins out….

Ok, I have lots of ideas! Whether you will agree is another matter entirely!

First things first, you want a place to sit out. With friends? Reading a book? A kindle? Using a laptop? Think about the time of day you are likely to be doing this. Then take a chair and a device and move it around to see where the light works and where it doesn’t.

You said the garden is square as if that means it is boring. Doesn’t have to be! Think about your decor inside your house and the house itself. Is it modern and angular or older, perhaps softer? Decide which you prefer. Either go all out and highlight the geometric shapes in the garden or try to break it up with a curved path, circular or oval lawn, rounded flower beds.

Go you actually want garden beds? Or grass, for that matter? You haven’t mentioned flowers or plants which makes me think you might prefer an outdoor room approach. You could pave or deck everything or choose to still have a low maintenance lawn. I still think you need plants but you can choose easy options that can largely be ignored (my own approach to gardening),

From what you have said so far, something like these might work (all Pinterest links) and might give you some more ideas of what you do and don’t want:

pin.it/2Re78VQ
pin.it/cn7RnJA
pin.it/3ChFEHO
pin.it/2HEdEN9

Thanks everyone for the replies.

I quite like the bins where they are as it is convenient to put things straight out into the bin from the kitchen but they could be moved. They could go anywhere in the garden or on the shared path on the other side of the fence along the bottom of the garden. The path goes up the side with our current gate too but I wouldn't put the bins on that side as it is quite narrow and more likely to annoy neighbours. I had thought about a gate on the back fence in the corner where the shed currently is and a path from there up to the back door.

The garden is pretty much south facing and gets sun most of the day. I will mostly be using it in the afternoon / early evening. The patio area is mostly sunny but then in the evening the sun only reaches the bottom of the garden and I feel like the shed casts a huge shadow over most of the grass during the afternoon.

I don't think there are any plants. Just grass right to the fence. I would like to keep some lawn and have some plants, but nothing too adventurous as I am not much of a gardener.

In our last home the garden was mostly lawn and mainly used for the kids running around and drying washing. I think now that the kids are getting a bit older there is potential to have more of a "grown ups garden where DP and I can sit out and relax, but I am not keen on going fully paved or decked. I love greenery and flowers as long as they are easy to care for!!