Interesting discussion Lynn. Your dilemma is similar to what I am pondering on at the moment for my house which made me pull out an old design book. As human beings we have a psychological need for shelter and safety. This is the principle of ‘refuge and outlook’. Per the book “ In a truly comfortable house, the inhabitants will feel sheltered and safe.... The core of the experience is to be able to comfortably observe the outer world from a position of relative security. Usually, the refuge is at a higher position and is enclosed and dark, the outside look is normally below, unenclosed and lighter. At its simplest we are outside looking out..”. Based on this I agree with the suggestions above that you should frame the window. I think it is the full glass wall all the way to the floor that is eliciting the unsettling feeling. So 1. yes put a bench in front of the window or better still build in a more permanent structure eg open shelving/cabinetry with a seating on top. Or Could you possibly put railing across the back of the window on the outside? This will still let light in but give it a sense of security. Consider adding some trim to the window to frame the view?. 3. Paint the room a bit darker to make it feel enclosed. If only I could take my own advice! I have an L-shaped dining room and I am thinking floor length glass doors all round will look stunning! However I am also thinking of how I would feel sitting there at night and so considering a half wall with windows instead - not as stunning but more comfortable? 😉. Still looking for the win-win scenario so ideas welcome. 😁

Though in all seriouslness, our allotment society has just decided to return the pristine cut lawns in our orchard to become a wildflower meadow. The preparation and seeding took place last weekend - I look forward to the results! May the pollinators look favourably on my berries & beans...

That might be a beech hedge/tree, hard to tell, that has been carefully trained in that shape. It will create quite a lot of maintenance for you as it will need to be regularly pruned to keep it like that. Depends how much you enjoy tree pruning. If it’s a beech, it’s not evergreen, but it will go brown and hang onto its leaves during winter, and as the new growth appears in spring the old leaves drop off. Of course it might not be a beech. I would never plant a Leylandii in any garden. They are huge forest conifers and without regularly trimming back can grown enormous. There has been many a neighbourhood/council dispute over leylandii that has got too big! You could plant a normal small tree and keep that trimmed. Whatever you plant will probably need regular cutting back to keep the drive clear. To be honest I think a simple fence above the wall to create some privacy would be your best option.

Think about to reducing the height of the circular wall so the height matches the other walls it wouldn’t dominate the garden so much. Next Sandtex all the walls in a green, leave the top stones unpainted, when you get some plants in the walls will disappear. Could you get rid of the triangular bed by the clothes airer or is it a support wall? If you cannot get rid of it remove the material that is inside to a great depth, fill with soil and plant a large shrub to give height on that side. Step 2. Draw a line across and remove the tiles from wall to wall to make a planting area, don’t skimp on the preparation and the depth of soil, sorry you will lose the airer for the time being maybe it could go down the bottom. Step 3. Sort out the fence, I would use a dark brown or black to treat it as it would “disappear”. Step 4. It looks like there is a flower bed in front of the fence, if so improve the soil and get it ready for plants. Step 5. Think about a new lawn straight across to the shed and get rid of the central path, you would probably see more of the bottom from the house if you go for Step 1. I have not mentioned any plants yet until the basics are done but I would suggest when you have got this far you take photos and speak to your local garden centre or ask houzzers, also the sizes of beds help with our suggestions. I haven’t mentioned the left hand side as I don’t know how close it is to the house, is there a side area by a back door? Do you want to use it for anything particular? where a seating/dining area would go, and what space you would like. It’s all about what you want, not designers. If you could post more photos I am happy to throw some more ideas at you to make your garden a green space. Hope my ideas help you Louise I am enjoying putting “myself in your garden” as I love gardening and prefer to use what is in situ and making it work budget wise, and your paving and walls look well made, shame and expensive to get rid of them. 👍 Annie