Be aware that artificial turf can get very hot underfoot. You could lay a narrow old brick or limestone paver path to clothes line for easy access and plant ground covers or low profile herbs (eg.oregano and thyme) to use in cooking. Hardy herbs or flowers such as rosemary, lavender, geraniums against the edges of the space toward the back. Even add some large long troughs of flowers on the retaining wall to pretty up the area. It looks like it could get quite warm there but maybe a jasmine or similar climber to climb up a frame attached to the part of the large wall where there is no clothes line. Good luck, it will be a lovely space I'm sure once you get started.

Where is north in this photo? It looks to me as though the area in question is fairly shaded so a lot of the above options wont work if the area is on the southern side of the home, especially because of the winter shade. The space gets afternoon sun - in summer or winter? There are shadows from trees - are these deciduous or evergreen? Clay can vary enormously from being plasticine like to clay with rocks or stones in it. This will have an enormous bearing on the plants that you can use, precluding plants like westringias that require very good drainage. A plant that is as tough as old boots that will grow in both sun and shade [with some sunlight during the day] is Buxus microphylla var japonica varieties, while Aucuba japonica [Gold dust plant] or even some of the native lomandra grasses would work well. The first two can be grown as a hedge with the latter choosing a variety that you like [ there are so many], but have the plants all the same - don't mix them up. These will all grow in some shade, will grow in clay as well if it isn't too poorly drained. It does appear as though the area is sloping ever so slightly away from the house which is good. But I would steer clear of paving - unless its needed for access etc, it will look patchy and pointless - use plants instead to make your picture - its far more sustainable. Alison

Which Perth suburb? nearly all Perth is awful sand, takes years to get it good. Sabrina Hahn is the best for advice here in Perth; Josh Byrne on Gardening Australia is also wonderful. Succulents are brilliant low care plants, and I was in Bunnings Melville today and saw they have have good sized plants for under $12, so much cheaper than they have been. if you don't want to bring in massive loads of good soil, compost etc, go for the stunning succulents which are now available. North sun in Perth is pretty hot, but it is lovely to have warming your house in winter. perhaps try a tough small deciduous tree like Manchurian Pear - make sure it's not one of the skinny ornamental pears though. if using succulents I am not sure they would complement each other though. Do you really want lawn? It is lovely but quite time consuming. Whatever you do don't forget we only get 2 waterings of 10 minutes each a week; or three waterings if you have a bore, so don't buy anything which is a water guzzler. Josh Byrne, of Gardening Australia, has put in lovely WA natives in his garden - I love our banksia, grevilleas etc, and you can get fabulous different coloured kangaroo paws now too, you could fill in the front area with these, and use one iof our lovely Pepper trees, or one or two or three of the stunning Ficifolia Eucalyptus (smallish trees with blossoms of hot orange or dark red), or a wonderful Eucalyptus Macrocarpa with its large silver leaves and huge red blossoms - google it, you will love it. Orange gravel rolled into bitumen is a lovely driveway finish, if you can find someone to do it in Perth! I can't, only can find a coloured gravel which I hate. I also love the way smallish stones or gravel are used as driveway surfaces, but a bit tricky for older people like me to walk on. if you are going for lawn, perhaps a circle in the centre of the lawn, with a Meyer Lemon, which is quite low care, and would look lovely with tough blue and agapantus surrounding it - a simple garden, easily maintained. The lemon would love the north aspect. Improve the soil for the lemon though. Rosemary hedges are lovely, you could edge the drive with that. Also a tough plant which grows well in Perth.

Looks like a spider plant, https://wimastergardener.org/article/spider-plant-chlorophytum-comosum/