A real problem with my garden

Hi All

What a useful site this is, I hope I can get some advice with my garden problem. This is the situation, my garden is mostly to the side of my house but at the back I have quite a small area between my conservatory and and an awful retaining wall which is close to my neighbour's boundary. This area extends out to the side of the conservatory, towards the lawn, making quite a nice patio area, or it would be apart from the awful, cheap slabs that are there at the moment. To make matters worse, the land is sloped, hence the retaining wall, making my neighbour's garden behind me about 3ft higher than mine.

The previous occupants of my house leveled the land behind my house up to the boundary but really botched up the wall, it seems to be made of breeze blocks, covered with concrete. So I have two problems firstly, I want to get rid of the awful patio slabs. I don't know what would be best, laying a new patio would be my favourite option but would no doubt cost a fortune, although I think the old would lift up easily enough. Decking would also be expensive

Then I've got the problem of the wall, tearing it all down and rebuilding it, isn't an option. I would be so grateful if anyone here could come up with any suggestions as to what to do.

Thanks in advance

tal - consider disguise/camouflage.

Wall - terracotta pots or other tubs/troughs with plants/bushes growing infront of or up the wall. Consider painting the wall - bright or subdued colours.

Slabs - lift the occasional slab, prepare the soil below then plant; this will 'break-up' the monotony.

These are cost effective solutions. Also you don't say how big the wall is.

Wall - 2by1 timbers screwed into wall, timber cladding screwed to this.

Patio - lift and replace with peashingle - quick, cheap and effective.

Thanks for the replies, I am still thinking things over. I did consider putting gravel down but the trouble with gravel is, you can't then go out and sweep up and I get an awful lot of leaves blowing in from outside in Autumn. However it is nice and cheap, Question, could I throw the gravel down over the patio slabs??

No, gravel over a patio isn't a good idea since you'll end up slipping all over the place (bit like standing on ball bearings lying on a hard surface - nowhere for the bottom layer to grip)