Looking for any and all suggestions, tips, ideas to help me transform our backyard into a space we want to spend time in. I know nothing about gardening or landscaping so would love any feedback on my current plans as well. Help!

We live in a small apartment in Brooklyn and love the potential we see in this outdoor space - and feel overwhelmed about what to do to get there. The yard was neglected for years. The edges still have tons of English Ivy roots that seem to be impossible to completely remove. We’ve cut back/killed some of the ivy because it was so thick/grown out it was providing shelter for rats. We’re also doing our best to battle lanternflies.

In progress:

- removing so much wood chip mulch to get down to the dirt

- weeding anything that pops up

- planting clover and hoping some pops up

Potential projects:

- laying clover over most of the yard

- maybe creating a mulch border (where the ivy roots might not allow clover or anything else to grow) along the concrete walls.…