Planting/weeding beside hedgerow?!

Hi all, we moved to this house about 3 years ago, and I am at a loss what to do with this part above the wall that runs the whole way down the side of our plot, prob about 30m long. The previous owners planted some things in it, but the ground is so terrible and full of roots from the hedgerow and weeds that it looks incredibly messy, and is hard to plant anything else. I tried weeding it well last summer but it was so so difficult and has all grown back (ignored it this year as am heavily pregnant) Also VERY prickly due to MANY fallen holly leaves... Any idea how to make it look a bit tidier?! Our sunroom overlooks it and it looks desperate! There are quite a lot of daffodils appear, and some other early spring flowers, so I hardly know what already exists there, also some shrub type things.