What would you do with this area of garden? (Pic)

[Wonderfulcheapfalafel]

Clearing out overgrown area at the back of our garden and want to make this a nice place to hang out. Under trees so dry and shady, sandy soil. It's nice and private so want to keep hammock and maybe have a fire pit? To the left is a wall, to the right a row of trees . Any ideas of how to make it look nice? Havent got lots of money but don't mind buying a few plants as I go along.
Already have a sarcococca on a big pot which I may put into ground down here . I have a vision of a woodland glade, but don't know how to realise it!

A natural woodland glade will have three levels: mature trees, shrubs and groundcover. Try to copy this. I'd plant some small trees / big shrubs to (a) hide the fencing/wall and (b) confuse the eye as to where your garden ends and the 'borrowed view" (the trees beyond) starts. For a natural look, major on native plants.
Lots of trees and shrubs means lots of shade so you won't have many summer flowers. However, you can have lots of colour in early spring before the deciduous trees fully unfurl their leaves. Plant bulbs like cyclamen, daffs, anemones, bluebells (native, not Spanish), etc.
For groundcover you can have ground ivy (a pretty blue flower), normal ivy, sweet woodruff. The great thing is that you can fill the place with native i.e. cheap plants. Or even trust to nature and let her fill the space!

Does anything grow there if you don't do anything? i.e. have you cleared that ground or is it always like that?

If it is, nothing much is likely to grow without significant effort from you. I would be inclined to put down something like bark mulch, and then create some planting pockets where you dig out a hole and replace it with decent soil then put a plant here and there to soften it. Choose tough plants, like some ferns or japanese anemones, and take good care of them for a year or two.

I also agree with something to hide the fence. If you want something that flowers you could try a rhododendron. Make sure you give it a decent planting hole with ericaceous compost in it though (or keep it in a very large pot).

Overhanging trees could cause a slight issue if you want a fire pit, you might need to site that fairly carefully.

Dry shade isn’t the easiest ….https://www.gardenersworld.com/plants/20-plants-for-dry-shade/

bark clippings would help, some tree fellers will deliver a tip truck for free or nominal cost. Some topsoil, manure also good. The trees and a climber to blur the boundary is good idea. Our local council was giving away Roman trees and native trees, the woodland trust does sometimes too. Water in well, and give any new shrub or tree a bucket of water every couple of weeks in the first couple of years.

ferns could be great.

kerp an eye on Facebook for giveaway plants and ask any fpfRdener friends.

an hydrangea, well watered might work….

Thank you for all the replies, and the link to the article, very helpful.

,@CatherinedeBourgh just finished clearing out a load of nettles and bugloss do stuff does grow there, just not what I wanted!

Have some sweet Woodruff elsewhere which I will start taking cuttings from as that will be good ground cover, agree need a shrub at the back to hide the fence.... There is a goat willow(ithink that's what it is) which the hammock is attached too, so do t think I can fit any more trees, but a shrub at the back would hopefully work. Quite deep shade there though...
I did think rhododendron but would prefer something with value for wildlife ..

Thanks for all the ideas x

Probably not the style you’re looking for, but just for a suggestion of a different idea…

it looks a perfect spot for a shady ‘courtyard’ area. Something like this photo but with fire pit instead of water feature, and hammock instead of table and chairs.
Using whitewashed wall and fence, with pots. It still has that woodland feel.

Lovely area for relaxing. Hammock looks great.
Maybe bird feeders or a bird bath?

Please think about people with asthma if you are considering having a firepit ( don’t want to be a killjoy) but awful when you can’t breathe in your own home or garden.

would prefer something with value for wildlife
Here's a list of trees from the Woodland Trust. You'll be pleased to hear that you are ahead of the game with your Goat Willow.
Here's another list from the Wildlife Trust for shrubs.

Climbers up the fence would save space but cover the fence panels. It looks like there is some sun poking over the top of the fence so I'd try some honeysuckle around the back/side

Also agree firepits are a PITA

Have you thought about a nice sterile piece of astroturf? Really easy to maintain.

I AM JOKING. To clarify.

Any of these images do anything for you? I’m trying to consider what your flooring options are.

Dry shade can be difficult, and sandy will make it even dryer. In mine I can grow epimidium, woodruff, some ferns that tolerate dryness (check which ones as most want damp), honesty, foxgloves (do need a bit of light). Variegated ground elder is surprisingly pretty and doesnt run as badly as the normal weedy type. Nettles are a good sign - they tend to indicate relatively fertile soil.

Wow thanks everyone, I totally forgot about this thread and didn't realise there had been more replies
@ReeseWitherfork I just spat my tea out 😂.
Probably aiming lore for your second pic, I have use of a 'chipper' and so able to make some bark stuff of my own for floor. I think I'll make a little path and then a space under hammock out of bark and then plant elsewhere.
Lots of ideas here thanks everyone .
And yes I will be mindful of having a fire, I also don't like loads of smoke around the house but this is right at the bottom of the garden, far away from the houses, and we'd only have a fire every now and again.so I dont think we'd be too frowned upon...

What about a climbing hydrangea for the fence