This may be vague but please bare with me. There are four very different area to my garden in terms of heat and sunlight and growing conditions so I would like to use all your experience in regards to what plants should go where.
1. Patio - in large tanks on the patio. Direct sunlight all day and very much a heat trap.
2. Mid garden - sowing into the earth, direct sunlight all day.
3. Lower garden - direct sunlight during the hottest part of the day.
4. Wooded area - in builders bags, direct sunlight during the late afternoon and early evening. Quite cool.
Just a starter!
No time to do it all but it sounds like your patio could be a mediterranean garden so med veg - tomatoes, basil, courgettes, peppers etc + rosemary lavender etc.
Things like lettuce would rather be in a cooler, shadier environment.
1. as Grawc says plus sweet potatoes
2. potatoes and squash
3. beans
4. as Grawc
What about raspberry's, gooseberry's and the like?
gooseberries grow best in a sunny open position but tolerate shade. Raspberries too - they need a bit of shade.
You'll get loads of useful tips at
http://www.rhs.org.uk/Gardening/Grow-Your-Own (http://www.rhs.org.uk/Gardening/Grow-Your-Own)
Thanks very much guys. As always very much appreciated!