Where do I begin?

I'm looking for recommendations on where to begin with my back garden. My wife and I are not gardeners and all I have ever done is keep the grass short for the children to play on. But now we have just had a conservatory built we are both feeling quite enthusiastic about doing something "nice" with the garden, but we don't really know what.

Any recommendations anyone?

The back garden is not large, but it does face towards the south. To give you an idea of what we have to start with, I've posted some photos below.

Back garden:




Down the side of the house:




Many thanks.

 

Thank you very much, this looks a really friendly and helpful forum.

Not really sure. A few flowers would be nice, but mainly shrubs for foliage, scent and colour (in that order). I'd like to keep most (but not all) of the lawn. The swings will stay, but the football games can move to the park. The rest I shall have to think about a bit more.

Oh dear, I hope I'm not going to get banned for that on my first day :eek: We need the screening down that side of the fence, especially since there is a railway embankment on the other side of the fence. I promise to keep it trimmed though when it reaches the desired height.

 

I echo Marley's comments. There are so many options depending on what you want from the garden.
And with regard to the Leylandii, unless you are growing them to gain some height along the border, I would seriously think about giving them the chop. In a few years time they will have reduced the width of your garden space by about three feet, they'll start pushing over the fence, the roots will rob the garden of food and you'll have to trim them at least twice a year.

Enjoy your planning!