It is unfortunate that Ficus Hillii hybrids are being pushed by landscapers. The root system of all ornamental figs is bad. The Flash variety is just a smaller version of Ficus microcarpa which is a massive tree. They ALL have roots that cause severe structural damage to homes, pools, driveways, walls etc. As a very experienced garden designer, I have seen too many instances of considerable structural problems caused by this plant family. Beware.

Sherry, I really love your house, I love the charm and character of weatherboards. I'm trying to buy a new home for myself and would choose something like that in a heartbeat, except there is nothing like it in the area I'm looking. Looking at the first photo, I think I would let your house shine on its own merits. Definitely put a decent path to get to the car and along the fence seems perfect to me. Allow width for carrying bags of groceries and such so you don't hit plants. A path with garden each side means you can be brushing against wet plants too as well as damaging them. I really can't see you gaining any privacy in this space without blocking the house from the street so I think I would forget about a hedge and just go for a cottage garden, it would suit the house perfectly. Look for some perennial plants that don't require a lot of maintenance. Hydrangeas, for example, look fabulous when they are in flower, and they grow easily from cuttings but they do require severe pruning each autumn or they grow very leggy and untidy. Miniature varieties of azaleas, gardenias and such will add colour and perfume year after year with minimum maintenance and ground covers will help keep the weeds at bay. Astrogirl mentioned lambs ears - they make a lovely contrast in a garden and are also very easy to grow from cuttings. You can also add some height by putting flowers in tall pots As far as the nature strip goes, you would need to approach the Council about planting more trees. Many Councils will provide residents with trees when they know the residents will care for them or they will specify what you can grow. There are legal issues to consider when this is public land. Some trees have surface roots for example that can cause a pedestrian to trip and fall. Just be sure more trees won't stop sun and light to your garden so your plants don't grow and too much shade will cause moss to grow on your path that can be slippery and dangerous. Another issue to consider in planting close to the house are termites, especially with your weatherboards. How active are termites in your area? If you are in a termite prone area, it is not advised to put large shrubs against the walls of the house, you need to allow for air circulation. Don't stress too much over your plantings, like Astrogirl said it is all an experiment. Small plants can be moved if you change your mind. The best garden is one that evolves over time and it is so much more satisfying.

I love Irene's photos and the suggestion to build a wall inside the boundary to square off the front angle, with plantings in front of it. This would be a brave move (I would probably get a landscape designer in for this if you go this way). Otherwise (I haven't read the previous comments, apologies in case I repeat or contradict), I would plant a fuller medium sized tree in the front right side (the deepest part), though centred, not in the point itself! Something like a full Manchurian Pear (though be committed to pruning it to keep it from growing too large, they don't grow too fast, it should be manageable - otherwise try a pretty Snow Pear (my favourite!) or a Bradford for a more compact but pretty shape - you can even pleach (ie take off the lower branches to keep the first metre of trunk nice and bare for a more sculptural look), or if you want something that will keep more compact without too much trouble, a beautiful crepe myrtle (Ilove the white Natchez variety) makes a lovely sculptural feature tree. You can underplant this with a square garden bed with star jasmine (just keep it trimmed to shape) and they look amazing with some under lighting at night (easy DIY kits available these days). Then along the right fence line I would add plantings to keep it private and looking lovely, again I would go Chanticleer ornamental pear (or Capital are even more narrow but I don't love them, though they're very popular). Again you can underplant with hardy, quick growing and low maintenance star jasmine. Then along the driveway on the right side, plant something lower and along the left side (if you have soil here), plant Sweet Viburnum (I love this, we've planted the Dense Fence variety), again, quick growing, beautiful foliage and low maintenance.

There is not much room for block out curtains to stack on the sides of the end windows, a better option would be to use screen roller blinds for privacy during the day and Roman blinds placed over the top for privacy at night. Roman blinds are great if you want to bring colour and pattern into the room and add a playful vibe. Image - Silvia Rajek Interiors Alternatively you could run a rod across the whole wall and have sheer curtains ( closed most of the time) and have block out roller blinds on each of the windows for privacy at night image from Pinterest