You look like you have the makings of a really lovely Garden, you are doing the right thing by getting on top of all the weedes, clearing the hard landscaped areas such as paths and border edgings ect, these are all things IF I were you I would keep in place and in time IF you feel up tp it, you can begin to relay some of the sunken paving or blocks on the pathways ect as you really have to be careful because uneven surfaces can become hazardous while walking or carrying heavy gardening tools, equipment or bags of compost,
After you clear an area, take a picture and enlarge these (recorded picture diary of the garden) don't forget to record the date, month time of day ect so you can remember where the sun was at a certain time of day, these pictures will become invaluable as you go further into the project.
I would begin by going along to your local library or book store to sit with a coffee and thumb your way through some of the garden design books, DIY in the garden books AND books on how to lay out beds / borders for shade, full sun, winter / summer / spring plantings and colour all year round gardening.
There are as many shaded of green as there are days in a year, add to that different textures, different foliage shapes, different seasonal colours as some plants can produce foliage in early spring that looks reddish then matures to green and as it fades it turns a yellowish green so pictures in books should if nothing else give you ideas of what looks good while growing along side other stuff.
I would not be in too much a hurry to go planting right now, I would rather you get all the clearing up don, any repairs done and any new structures you wish to add, lights, fountains, rose arches, planters, ponds or bird houses should all be planned before you get or buy plants/ trees/ shrubs ect, gardening is not cheap by any standards and any garden that is to give pleasure for many years can not be made on one season so please take my word for it.
Rome was not built in a day and neither is any garden, even those projects you watch being done on TV where the crew turns up and "hey presto" after 2 days, about a dozen labourer's and a ready made plan, a large container of plants is all laid out with all the oooooh's and Ahhhhh's you like, but very rarely take you back the next year to see all the perennial weeds growing back even bigger than before as they have added bucket loads of feed to the depleted soil they had to work with so, or the dead shrubs as they were planted in unsuitable soil so, slow and easy is better that having to dig things up because they are either in the wrong place or unsuitable for the soil you have.
I visit USA just about every year and on each occasion I end up in the BIG book Store have a coffee and look through some gardening books (there bargain table has lots of discounted books that are great, a good book I picked up was RHS Book of Planting Schemes, published 1999 by Conran Octopus LTD.
Reprint 2000, www.conran-octopus.co.uk, not expensive at all. This books is full of planting schemes but most of all, it has plant names, lovely pictures of the mature beds the plans show how to plant and what to plant.
Tim Newbury book, Titled 20 Best Small Gardens, this book (cost little) has the design, planning and layout (plant list) of all the plants and how to place them all side by side to get that look, OK so you might not want the whole 20 plans but what I am saying is, these books are invaluable for giving ideas on sepperate spaces in a garden.
Another $5.00 bargain book was Great Decks and outdoor living, it also gives you deccking or hard landscape ideas but also planting ideas for different areas, shade, sun ect.
These are all great reading, all suitable for beginners like yourself and shows you the different looks you get from the 4 seasons.
Also remember you can plant more tender stuff and grow it in pots, large pots or smaller tubs so long as you can take it into a greenhouse or under cover over the winter months so really the skies the limit if you choose well.
I can give you list of plants to grow for each situation required but let me know IF you want that.
Hope this helps you think about what you want for this year in the new gardening plan, Remember that plants are not cheap so, prepare well for them arriving or bringing them home as IF you gather them and the ground is not ready either digging, adding manures / soil improver's and the beds / borders ready for planting.
Around the door you might want to grow perfumed plant, along the walls, climber, so you need to erect a frame for the climbers, so there is a lot of work to be done, proper planning will allow you to enjoy the task more than everyday trying to jump from one area to another, therefore you get fed up and loose heart.
I think you have so far done well and by thinking out a plan of work, you get more pleasure and learn more as you go.
Good luck, take your time but most of all, just enjoy.
WeeNel.
