If you want to replace your ash tree with something that won't grow too large you could try a white-beam, it's a deciduous tree, will grow to around 20 feet high and has pretty leaves that are a silvery colour underneath. Trees like silver birch can be great in narrow gardens as they don't cast too big a shadow. We have a sout&west facing garden but it was always in the shade because of a huge ash and a very wide yew tree... They've both gone now the whit beam made an excellent replacement. Be careful with lelandii, notoriously difficult for you, or your neighbours to grow anything in its shade or beneath it as it sucks up all the moisture from the ground, it can cause heated disagreements. It will require a lot of maintenance to control it but also make your own garden feel very narrow, which may not be a problem of you have an unusually large garden for a new build. How about topping a fence with trellis and growing some climbing shrubs, a much softer look, perhaps some scented things like honeysuckle or roses, and with the benefit of being able to plant underneath. If you like the sculptured look grasses in a raised bed look great, there is such a variety and they are pretty low maintenance. If you choose to have a sandpit for your child/ren remember it will need a cover or all the cats in the neighbourhood will claim it! A seating area that you can get to without walking on grass is essential or you won't use it as much as you could if it's been wet weather, be really aware of where the sun falls in your garden, don't have that area too near the house if your garden faces North/east or you'll miss out most of the year. There is something to be said for not doing too much to a garden before you've spent a whole year there to see just how much sun it gets, depends how keen you are to get on with it though!

It's a great plot size and a lovely sunny position. The mediterranean look is all about stonework, planters & Pots. Have a two tier patio. The bottom layer straight across with a circular fronted second, higher level back left. On the top layer you could have your lounging area and water feature in the background. Coming forward a nice dining area for the late evening sun. Improving the fences is a must, the trellis to the left offers no privacy. The fence at the back may be salvageable. Replacing both would be better. You can also paint the fences to add colour in a pale blue maybe or white. White especially will show up terracotta wall hung planters and pots, whilst giving the plants and flowers something to 'pop' from.

This tiny garden on a 30cm pie dish took me four hours to create, and really made me long to redesign my own small garden just like it! It was inspired by the Chelsea Physics competition still running.

Well done you . Looks great and no doubt saved yourself a fortune not to mention the satisfaction of doing it yourself .