Helpmis great, especially if its free but sometimes it is easier/nicer to do a little area at a time. You can make a small place to enjoy the garden and tackle the rest when time allows.
I say that because I'm cheap and don't mind these sorts of jobs (to a certain extent).
I'd start off with a brushcutter with a metal blade (you can rent them by the day, weekend or week) and hack all the brambles back to between 6 and 12" from the ground. Make sure you wear safety goggles and decent gloves. Rake up the cuttings which I'd then dispose of into a skip along with any rubbish you find along the way. That will be a relatively quick job and an instant tidy up.
Then start digging to remove the roots. I echo what others have said to tackle a small area close to the house and slowly extend into the garden. A decent fork and spade and tough gauntlets will be your friend. Somebody else has suggested a pickaxe. Great idea. I prefer a mattock but they're very similar tools. You can get one for about £30 from Screwfix or similar and they really do make tough root removal much easier.
Once an area has been cleared leave it for several weeks to see if new growth appears. Dig and repeat.
Personally I'd probably spend the whole of this year concentrating on just clearing the whole garden rather than worrying about any planting but you might work much faster than me. You could use this year to do any fencing or hard landscaping (always better to do this before planting borders, laying lawns etc anyway) and maybe start improving the areas where you're going to have borders or veg. By spring 2025 you should have a fabulous plot ready to be transformed. You might even have it done in time to start planting this year!
Good luck - looks like a nice size plot which deserves some love.
Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
If it was mine, I'd start by covering the whole space with old carpet or similar, to weaken the weeds, and encourage the dead bramble to rot.
I wouldn't ever ask a building contractor to work on a garden project.
I'd then find a local gardening labourer to start clearing small areas of it, bit by bit, reclaiming small areas, and then planting or sowing in those areas, bit by bit - grass, potatoes, green manure etc, whatever you fancy.
You'll then find yourself in a position where the garden is getting gradually cleared, and you can start to see what you might want where...
Thanks Rubytoo, I hadn't thought of a pickaxe but it makes sense to use as a lever. Such a lot of thought provoking and practical suggestions here, I'm starting to feel keen to get started and.not daunted anymore! That's so great. Thank you all!.
Posts
I say that because I'm cheap and don't mind these sorts of jobs (to a certain extent).
Then start digging to remove the roots. I echo what others have said to tackle a small area close to the house and slowly extend into the garden. A decent fork and spade and tough gauntlets will be your friend. Somebody else has suggested a pickaxe. Great idea. I prefer a mattock but they're very similar tools. You can get one for about £30 from Screwfix or similar and they really do make tough root removal much easier.
Once an area has been cleared leave it for several weeks to see if new growth appears. Dig and repeat.
Personally I'd probably spend the whole of this year concentrating on just clearing the whole garden rather than worrying about any planting but you might work much faster than me. You could use this year to do any fencing or hard landscaping (always better to do this before planting borders, laying lawns etc anyway) and maybe start improving the areas where you're going to have borders or veg. By spring 2025 you should have a fabulous plot ready to be transformed. You might even have it done in time to start planting this year!
Good luck - looks like a nice size plot which deserves some love.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.