I should add this is the west facing side of the house and we live in Vancouver.

I would get some info on container gardening. You could set up a lovely curved pathway by loading the space with a variety of pots at different heights. Some could have fruit trees and vegetables like peppers and tomatoes, some herbs like rosemary and various mints then pretty leaf annuals like coleus and ivy’s. Some larger pots could hold upright conifers. You could develop a master plan, then start with basic layout and add as funds allow. I will find some inspiration photos for you. Bbl

Thank you for takin the time to put that together Flo! I really like the idea of hanging baskets and all the different pots. I’m even thinking some hanging lights would be nice if we include a small seating area. I’ll be able to work on it piece by piece.

Do you have the part where the grass is growing too? If so, is the trampoline staying or going?

Hi Becky. We only have the side yard to work with. Up to the point of where I’ve pulled the weeds.

If your space ends at end of building get a gate to hang window box on to create “view”. Or a little bistro table and a couple chairs. A “destination” with a purpose. Small gardens can be very delightful. Good luck.

How wide is the space? It looks like about 8 blocks wide. Even if they're a foot across, which is probably an overestimate, it doesn't look wide enough to have furniture in it or large pots. Is it a through way or does it end at the corner of the building? If the latter you have a little more leeway.

Aside from the space considerations mentioned by floral, is there an outside hose bib/water spigot or do you have to carry water from outside? Also, it looks as if you'll have to consider plants that don't depend on full sun.

What might help is a drawing of the space with measurements, so we know exactly the area you have to deal with. It's still rather unclear to me.

If you do containers, add them over time as they require more work to care for than plants in the ground, especially small containers. And you wouldn't want to get ahead of yourself. Because of space constraints, I can't imagine it being practical to have more than a few plants squeezed along the edges and a hanging basket or two. Window boxes need to be set lower than the window bottom so that plants don't block the window. Well, that puts you about right at the ground. So why bother with a box? Just plant annuals sized to come to the right height. Caladium bulbs are super easy and dependable as annuals and would be good here.

If you need to replace the brick stepping stones with something continuous so as to not be walking in dirt, discarded carpeting placed upside down makes the cheapest temporary path you than get. It will last a few years. Carpet installers are always throwing away massive amounts of it.

You can do a lot by using vertical space --grow vines up the fence or a trellis, attach planters to the fence and grow plants that spill out and over. A few strategically placed planters on the ground with tall (but not wide) plants will add to the atmosphere. Low-growing ground covers and/or rich mulch will give the area a finished look. Beckysharp has a good point, though, about a hose bib. If you have to haul water from inside the house or the other side of the building, limit the number of plants or you'll drive yourself crazy.

Keep your eyes peeled for a small (comfortable) chair and table to create a destination. If you live in a hot or rainy area, put it under the awning, or in the sun if that's your preference. Garden art on the wall, fence and/or ground will also create a sense of place. Go for it! It will feel like you added another room to your home without a rent increase. Have fun.