Diary of an Inexperienced Gardener- Day One!

I was in my new garden for just under an hour thismorning and there are some things I discovered that were not overly obvious from a first glance! I might add to start with though that I have just moved from a two storey townhouse apartment to a one storey unit complete with a large and very beautiful backyard just this week and garden that the previous tenant has so lovingly created and maintained. I have never gardened IN MY LIFE so i thought I'd share my experiences so that you can have a giggle at my inexperience or commiserate for fellow never-before gardeners.

Firstly, most of which makes up my new garden is actually weeds but the place having been empty since June that is understandable of course... I just don't know which are actually weeds and which are plants.. so we have reached problem number one! I have discovered I now have a rather large mint plantation in the yard which I think is great coz I just love the smell of it!!! But I've also discovered that the whole garden is absolutely overrun by snails!!! They are everywhere! On every plant, almost on every leaf! What on Earth do I do about those?! There we have my second problem!! I left my garden tools outside for a moment whilst I ducked inside to get a glass of water, came back out and one snail had already perched itself on my trowel! Im sure if i sat still long enough they'd quite happily slime their way all over me!

I was pulling out weeds (and being stung by a hidden patch of thistle) when I discovered a bright red tiny sphere amongst the weeds and at a closer look discovered it was a little tiny strawberry plant trying to grow. It had three fruits on it, very small and underdeveloped but suprisingly untouched by snails! I couldn't believe it! I have a feeling the overgrown weeds might have been keeping it well hidden... I may have just sentenced that little plant to death-by-snail :( can I transplant strawberries? maybe I should pop it in a little pot and see? I spose it wont do much good will it?

So what's at the bottom of MY garden???

Thistle, weeds, snails, millions of penny lizards (they sun themselves on leaves, its like a little solarium out there!), more weeds and guess what? more snails!

Oh and I broke out in little red spots all up my arms too, must have been a reaction to the sap in something that is another little problem im going to need to deal with!

I dont in anyway dislike my garden...I simply ADORE it! I think snails are actually quite cute but i cant possibly hope to grow anything successfully if i keep them there, and the penny lizards arent doing any harm of course... the lawn is lovely, its so very private and homely, and there is a beautiful willow tree overhanging our yard from the neighbours, I grew up around willows and they have a special significance to me so i put our garden table and chairs under the tendrils and its perfect :)

Do I have a green thumb? Well at the moment it's red from the thistle but I spose that's what it's all about! I would love nothing more than to nuture it, and help it grow and be proud of it..is there anyone out there who can help me? Please? :)