Is this what you mean?

A curved path could also work to make it feel bigger or a zig zag shape. I’m not a gardener but I’d be wary of very deep beds. 3 of mine are about 2m deep and it’s not always easy to tend to plants! 2 of those actually have red robin bushes at the back so I don’t even need to get right to the back!

What style of garden do you like?

i don’t think a garden needs a lawn btw

Ah THANK YOU! Wow what a talent to be able to just pull that visual togther! Yes in reality I would not have such a large bit of lawn, or possibly as you say remove completely in such a small garden. It is just handy as a spill over from back patio, so perhaps I will do in stages. Lawn this year, live with it, change to borders next year..... Thank you again for your input!

i think it's been quite well designed already and i think adding another square (albeit at an angle) a bit jarring. i'd rather see you making the lawn into a circle and using the bits from the corners to create more beds for plants. the round lawn will introduce a softer shape and allow the garden to look less boxy, whilst also providing a bit more movement visually. more plants will soften it further and they could take up as much as space as you want to hide the edges of the lawn and/or to introduce more height into the garden - which would also make it feel bigger as you wouldn't immediately see the whole space.

But you might be able to create this just by digging out a border across the whole of the end of the patio that is directly outside the house - to bring some plants much closer to the house and blur the view to the end of the garden and therefore make it feel more like a journey to the far end of the garden.

Is this a new house and garden to you? If so, I'd give it a year at least to see what pops up and how the garden grows in over the summer.

Thank you so much @CWD! Really great advice, I had not thought of a circular lawn, but can have a look at a plan for this and to mirror in beds. I want to dig out more beds close to the house to as you say add more texture and height. I plan for at least 3 trees in the borders as garden needs more height. It is all my design :) I have been in the house 12 years (was not planning to stay) so have developed it from a hideous astro turf "lawn" to what you see today. More to do, and love Houzz friends inputs THANK YOU!

Your garden is packed with plants and looks like a lovely place to relax in. My first thought was to create a circular lawn which would widen the space but that wouldn’t add any value. Instead, how about using your existing slabs or better still, use round stepping stones, to create an S shaped path diagonally across your garden. The grass would regrow either side of this new ‘path’ and help to widen the garden too. I wouldn’t plant anything tall in front to ‘hide’ the garden as I don’t think that’s necessary in a garden your size. Then next year if you really wanted to get rid of the grass you could add a circular patio.

I’ve made so many changes to this it’s made the image go funny. Anyway ive added a curved path that is meant to finish just inside the pergola. The purple flowers are verbena which are just meant to be to the right of the tree (AI removed yours). I’d also add verbena at the end of the path on the right side but have given up on AI putting it where i wanted!

And with a round lawn

Great work bringing my ideas to life Minnie, thank you, and I’d love to know what housemouse thinks. The curved path allows for an abundance of planting and I love the addition of a water feature but for me, the round lawn brings a wonderful feeling of calmness and really does expand the garden so it gets my vote.

I like both tbh. The water feature was just so the bed wasn’t too deep and so your eye didn’t rest on the end of the path straightaway.

The round lawn also looked great without the stepping stones but not so practical for reaching the end patio!

i also like the garden as is with the shape of the stepping stones and extending the beds on the right closer to the house could work but unfortunately my AI skills don’t always allow me to put things exactly where I want!

I like minnie101 picture with a circular lawn. However, I have re-read your initial post and when you speak of the lawn it is “boggy moss”, “does not achieve a lot” and you may get rid of it in the future. I must ask the question why do a lawn at all, save yourself time, effort and money and create your garden of the future now. Removing the lawn will allow for a more interesting, creative and sustainable space that offers better habitats for wildlife. As you want more height, try gardening vertically using trellises with planters and raised beds at various levels. A mix of textures, colors, and heights will create a richer visual experience than your current wish for a mono-culture lawn. Before you sink a spade, consider first your growing conditions and what matters most to a self confessed plants woman. Good luck!

Wow! Thank you all for your ideas! A lot to digest and I will print out the photos and get thinking! Thank you