You can generally clear that sort of patch in a season. But I'd suggest
you concentrate your firepower on the parts nearest the house and get
some parts perfect so that you can plant a crop or flowers next year.

Thr front garden (mostly laid to grass but with boarders and a bit of soil
in the middle) is OK - just needs some plants in there.
The back garden up to the veg plot is all grass (asside from a small patio
area outside the back door). In spring I intend to edge the grass with
boarders.
I am guessing to make these nice should not take too much effort as they
have had plants in them before.

Spuds can cope with pretty ropey conditions on newly reclaimed land.

I grew spuds the year before last and was dissapointed - they took up a huge
area (copared to say the carrots) and did not crop much. It was ahrd work
digging them out of solid clay and I managed to get my fork stuck in to
nearly every spud :-(

Depends what the weeds are. If you have any of the annoying perennial
weeds that will regrow from tiny pieces of root it could be a disaster
to rotovate too soon. Know your enemy.

The weeds are mainly brambes and nettles. Some bits of grass that I am not
too worried about and something with a red root/tuber.

Difficult one. Dry clay is far too hard and tough, wet clay is almost
unworkable and sticks to everything. There is a narrow band where it is
just hard work.

I think that is the state it is in. Hard work but do-able. My old house
the clay was so bad it was eiter baked like a rock or it just stuck to
everythign - there was no in between.

Yes. Glyphosate.

The plan is to carry on double digging (if my back, legs and arms don't give
up). Then depending on the finished texture I might borrow a rotovator from
a friend (whois borowwing it form a friend...) and get a nice crumbly
texture.
Then in early spring I will use Glyphosate on anything that has come back
up. Then I will give a light digging over before planting. Anything that
then pops up can be attacked with a how until this time next year when I can
re-assess the situation.

Brambles are fairly shallow rooted. I wouldn't bother. I train mine
along the fence. Bramble pie isn't too bad by way of compensation for
the thorns.

I might give that a try.

You can more or less grow what you like, but spuds, onions, beans,
lettuce and courgettes are all fairly easy and rewarding to grow. Spud,
courgette and marrow will out compete most weeds once they get going.

This year I grew carrots (in a box), lettuce (in a box), courgettes,
tomatoes, peppers. Last year I grew corn, but was not impressed. I also
grew spuds (as mentioned above).
The tomatoes, lettuce, peppers and courgetts grew really well and will be on
the menu again next season. I think I might grow some beans and/or peas as
well. Also plan to speak to the neighbours and see what they think grows
well.

Cane fruit and apples do very well on my clay soil.

I might consider an apple tree in the man bit of the garden. Any particular
variety?

Cheers


Mike