Lindy, Why dont you do a computer image of the outside of your home like you can do with digital decorator and play with some schemes. You would instantly know if you like it or not!! Otherwise as Luke suggested, you need to decide if you want to contrast or blend?? I would certainly start off with a blend, as changing it to a deeper colour later would be far easier than trying to go back to a lighter colour if you decide you don't like it. Deep Ocean can look stunning with Jarrah but now that you have Monument I think you really need to stick to Windspray if your window frames are that colour otherwise I feel you will be introducing too many colours and you will spoil the elegant look of the home. Cheers, Barbara

Hi Jenny, I'd suggest popping into your local nursery (not big box store). Often they will offer a consultation service where they can come out and help suggest plants that suit your aspect, climate and situation. The other option is to have a consultation with a local landscape designer or horticulturalist who specialises in planting. Check your local landscape association or AILDM for listings in your area. An outlay now could save you $$$'s in the longer term, as well as making sure that what you do spend your money on is going to give you the most bang for your buck. They'll also have local knowledge as to what can potentially become weeds. Just remember you can't plant anything against the fence that can be considered climbable - this can include hedges. Have a look at the link I included above as to what the definition of climbable is. Look for lush and green to link in with the background. Some pops of colour; maybe foliage (eg alternanthera) or flower (bougainvillea or mandevilla) will also help to lift it and make the green more green. Small growing varieties of lomandra may be better than the large one you have there - this could easily be moved, divided and used elsewhere.

Jessica Craig, I thought you might like to know this. When my daughter was a baby and I took her for swimming lessons, I met another wonderful Mum Wendy and her daughter, Sophie. Sophie's father had recently passed away and so Wendy was trying to adjust to the hand that fate had dealt her. They had not long purchased their house too. We have remained very close all these years and I can report that both Soph and Wendy are a force to be reckoned with. Sophie (now 15) is a talented singer, is doing well at school and has oodles of personality. Wendy is studying online and working towards fulfilling her dream of one day writing a children's book. The house has been renovated and is a very warm and welcoming home. It has not always been an easy road as single mum for Wendy, but it continues to get richer as the years move by. I hope that in some of your harder moments, this may bring some small level of comfort to you.

With such a large house I think it would need some other darker colour along with white to help "ground" the look. Also, as mentioned above, pure white on an exterior looks very glarey - surfmist would be perfect. I would strongly suggest getting a colour consultant to help with such a large project - and get some mock-ups done with different colour ideas.