Sadly, kids will be kids, some rarely get a scratch others regularly break bones. Unfortunately parents fall into many categories too and don't always look at the big picture. I certainly do not advocate the "nanny state" situation that is emerging, but where do you draw the line?? Fencing swimming pools has been law for around 40 years now, but still children drown in backyard pools each year and the debate over that continues. I think the most important issue is providing children with a safe place to play, to enjoy the outdoors away from the TV and other electronic gadgets of today, to inspire their imagination and just let them be kids, have their own special space and enjoy their childhood. Kids of today are fast losing all this. It also needs to be a place that does not require constant parental supervision, all too often parents are distracted with other happenings in the home and kids often like to be free of parents to really express themselves. How high does a treehouse really have to be? It can be just a foot off the ground, but if it is created to be a child's magical place it will become anything to that child. There are many public parks and playgrounds that have climbing structures for children where parents can take them for special play times and can watch over them at all times, I really don't think they need this in the home - that then makes a trip to the playground something special. Remember too, adults see things totally different to children.

PET PEEVE: INDOOR BAREFOOTERS NEWSFLASH: It is a plainly observable though controversial fact, to me at least, that very few people keep their indoor floors pristine enough for barefoot traffic. However, that does not seem to stop the oh-so-carefree, INDOOR BAREFOOTERS from taking their grubby, 'floor-feet' on little excursions upon coffee tables, chairs, couches and beds, etc. YUCK! Imagine seating yourself upon someone's couch and making the mistake of placing your hand beside you ON the couch, or forward upon the coffee table, only to feel an icky graininess...or stickiness? So, then you're stuck with continuous hand-washing throughout your visit because THEY could not be bothered to keep their 'floor-feet' off anything....their home being their slovenly castle and all. The YUCK factor and the politics which invariably follow my well-meaning interventions, (I'm an idealist), makes me an irritable, reluctant guest. Which ironically, never seems to stave off the invitations (sigh)! But, it also makes me a tyrannical host: "feet off my settee, Jerri! Not on my mid-century coffee table! No! Your white socks are no longer white, Jade! Aaargh!" WORSE YET, these oblivious INDOOR BAREFOOTERS tend to then touch and scratch their grubby 'floor-feet' while chatting, and touching their faces, fixing a meal or eating something...OR, shaking my hand. Oh, the humani-...'hygienity!' I feel ill!!! Yes, yes, I know that I'm whining AND yes, I know that there are worse things in the world: children suffering in Africa etc., but now that you mention it, even THEY tend to wash their feet BEFORE placing them on furniture! Maybe because they value the little they have. I know this from firsthand experience!! SIMPLE SOLUTION: Indoor shoes! Outdoor Shoes! And, when you place your feet upon anything slip OFF your shoes to reveal your lovely clean feet, which will appreciate the pristine lack of graininess from your last considerate visit. Anklet and pedicure but...floor-feet!!

I, too, like the idea of the fence being painted in Monument, or something similar. You look like you live in either in the tropics or subtropics, judging by the photos. Apart from looking attractive, you also want to the plants to have low leaf drop, be fairly hardy, not have an invasive root system, be reasonably low maintenance and sun tolerant (the pool area looks very hot and sunny, and you didn't mention if the palms next door provide any shade during the day). Anyway, here is my 5 cents worth: native pigface "Aussie Rambler"; blue fescue; bromeliad Neoregelia sheba; philodendron Xandadu; sun-tolerant cordyline species; dwarf ixora; dwarf frangipani. Bambino bougs also look lovely near a pool. You'll be picking up the old bracts as they drop but they look so gorgeous its worth it. Touch of Class have recently introduced some beautiful new varieties of dwarf oleanders (we have "Isabella"). Oleanders have been given a really bad rap about their toxicity, and yes, they are poisonous, however, they have never caused a human fatality in Australia and are no more toxic than many other plants we put in our home gardens. Apparently, they are a more of a threat to livestock who seem to eat them despite their bitter taste. Having said that, I wouldn't use them if you have young children or pets that like to chew everything. You'll have noticed that most of the plants I have suggested are of the "dwarf" variety. This is so the plants don't become too big for the pool area, and to help keep maintenance down. A self-cleaning palm like the golden cane, foxtail or Alexander could provide some overhead shade, but only if they were planted at least 1.5m away from the pool (preferably more). I would also be mulching with stones to minimise it ending up in the pool on windy or rainy days. Although I love natives, I have not suggested them, other than the pigface, to keep maintenance and leaf drop to a minimum.

Hello everybody, I have lived in Europe and also built several houses for which I have used blue stone. It is particularly in Belgium and Holland the most preferred natural stone for architects and home owners. You can of course for the cheaper ceramic tiles with a concrete or blue stone look but it will never be the same. The blue stone quarries have traditionally been in Belgium so you will see there lots of homes, streets and public buildings that are built with this stunning stone. You find it in different varieties (honed, polished, rough, etc..) and you can use it indoors as well as outdoors. We are going to build a hew house close to Sydney and will definitely go for blue stone both inside and outside, including the area around the swimming pool. In Australia, I have been told that blue stone is mainly quarried in Victoria. I am presently considering either to buy it there or to i port it from Belgium (which quality is slightly better and available in more varieties). Another very nice alternative is blue lime stone which in Australia is presently being imported from mainly Turkey. I have built with blue stone before and the result has always been much nicer than with granite, marble, travertin and of course also than the cheaper ceramic tiles that you find everywhere. We will probably combine the blue stone inside the house with underfloor (hydronic, not electric !) heating. Nice and cool in summer and pleasantly warm in winter.