For 15 years I have been very unhappy with my garden and I'm at a loss what to try next.

We have a very small garden which is paved. A raised shaped walled border provides our main planting space, but at its widest point is only 5' and at its narrowest is about 2'. To help with visualising it, imagine a rectangle with 2 overlapping circles in it (that's our paved area) the bit between the circles and the rectangle is the border. The border backs onto garages, which must be about 8' high. The only time the border gets sun is in the summer when the sun is directly overhead, but because of the side fences the period of time is very short. The second problem seems to be that due to its size it seems to have its own microclimate! We're inundated with slugs and snails and aphids. Although we encourage wildlife, we just don't get much other than the odd toad and sparrows.

Previous planting has involved plants not thriving, being eaten or ultimately being too big. Plants we've used include hostas (eaten) choisya (doesn't thrive), firethorn (doesn't flower), solomans seal (eaten) bamboo (died) periwinkle (overgrew everything). We've also got a varigated holly, which is okay, fuschia, which grows okay but too big. We've a lovely climbing rose, but the stems look very ugly because the rose (although tolerant of shade apparently) just grows upwards to reach the light, leaving nothing at eye level (remember these plants are already 2' up in the air because the border is raised). The only things that thrive are the ivies climbing up the garage wall, which is fine.

We have come to the conclusion that we need to scale everything down and start again. This time we're thinking maybe an ornamental type garden, with hostas and ferns, but how would we cope with the slugs. Would it help to put bark or slate down?

Any suggestions would be welcome.

Many thanks

Jane