What do i do with small garden area off my patio?

Have you considered laying down large stones to create a pathway? Here are some different ideas:

https://www.familyhandyman.com/landscaping/affordable-garden-path-ideas/view-all/

is there a lot of shade? Plant according to sunlight or search for small yard furniture diy, art, etc. - will a Hammock fit? Search tiny yard diy on Hometalk, too.

I would go with climbing vines that would cover the fence with beautiful vegetation, can't recommend any plants since we don't know what zone you are in or whether this is a sun or shade area, but just Google your location with "native plants" and whatever else you want for a criteria like color, or climbing or shade tolerant or whatever.

Break up the sight line by creating different zones in the garden that are offset from each other like little islands, then connect them with winding paths of gravel or pavers.

Hide some seating in places that are unexpected so it's like your own secret hideaways.

Place some interesting large scale decor items here and there to anchor the space, it can be a handmade trellis of branches or an old step ladder with some brightly painted pots with brilliant flowers, it doesn't have to be expensive to be pretty!

Plan your plantings so that each area has a couple of plants that will be pretty no matter what season it is. A garden is still a garden in winter, and while you may not be in a climate to sit out and enjoy it then you can still have plants that have an attractive shape when the leaves fall, are evergreen or carry bright berries during the winter.

Concentrate on perennials. You can plant perennials once and enjoy them for years instead of buying and planting annuals over and over again. Reserve annuals for containers, or for pops of seasonal color around borders and seating areas.

Scatter some highly scented plants here and there around the garden, not too many and not too close together, just enough for it to be an exciting discovery when you smell one on the breeze.

Make sure when possible to have pockets of shade and pockets of sun so you can take advantage of all the lovely variety of plants available for each, as well as having places you can be in the garden any time you wish. Create shade with tall bushes, high trellises or even a pergola if you can afford one.

And most of all plant what you love, and HAVE FUN!

Hello, the "garden" goes from left to right and around corner on left photo at the back there is a small gate, on the right photo same dirt goes around corner to a stucco wall. I have trouble walking on pebbles, so terra scape is out and I think I will go with recycled pavers from my son's property. Thank you all for the suggestions.

This patio faces the west so strong afternoon sun

Oh my, that changes everything! A picture really is worth a thousand words. I was picturing a long narrow back garden extending away from the rear of the house!

You truly do have a tiny space. Well, being Arizona and lots of rules I would probably find a really good quality artificial turf and lay that in the dirt area to make it look like lawn.

Create a brightly patterned floor cloth for the patio since I’m guessing you aren’t allowed to paint the concrete, and put in about 3 large containers with plants, maybe one in each of the two far corners, then a grouping in the middle with the third and a few smaller ones around it.

Decorative native grasses could be pretty and withstand the heat and water restrictions I’m sure you probably have, as well as maybe some agave, and for color blanket flower, verbena, lantana, and if you’re allowed anything that would show above the wall a bougainvillea vine would be gorgeous.

Those will all grow in super hot, super dry conditions.

Add a small cafe table and a couple chairs, a lounger and maybe add shepherds crooks to the pots and hang laterns with solar lights for evening and it would be a tiny oasis in the desert.

Go to your local garden nursery and ask what would be best for your location. Explain that it will be in mostly shade. They should be able to make suggestions. Some small evergreens might work to give you year round color. And make a walkway with some patio blocks so you're not walking in dirt. Around the patio blocks you could put down small plants that you can walk on if your location allows. We have them at our nursery and they're called stepables.