First, sue the previous owner for "hidden defect".

Try mixing 6-10 inches of vegetable compost into the top 12 inches of
soil and amend with worm castings. You can also top-dress with a good
garden soil from your local suppliers.

Good luck and bend at the knees !

tenplay wrote:
In my backyard, I have an area roughly 20X30 that is covered by some
blackberry vines, maple tree shoots, and gravel mixed in with the dirt.
What is best way to reclaim this area so that I can use it for a
garden or lawn? I have no idea how it got to be this way before we
moved onto the property. Thanks for any advice.