Live in Seven Hills NSW. Budget is about $6K to $7K

Agree, raised planter boxes, just make sure they're deep enough to get some decent planting into them. And as mentioned above, if you make them 400mm - 600mm high, they will be high enough to sit on, or you can create seating nooks withing the built up beds. Also look at changing the colour of the fence, or growing something to screen it.

Best to seek local advice as your climate and soil conditions will have a big influence on what is achievable. Your budget, your watering system, how much ongoing maintenance you are prepared to put in will also affect your design. Talk to your neighbours who have good gardens to get a better understanding of what works for them. Best of luck, Dr Retro of Dr Retro House Calls

I have a relatively small but very well designed house of 160M2 on a block of 1000M2. We get lots of northern light in all the right places. Garden views and connection from every room and plenty of borrowed views. Outdoors we have space for produce gardens, fruit trees, outdoor patio and BBQ area, a fire pit, play space and a native garden. We also have a large, private courtyard off the master bedroom and a small one off the en-suite bathroom. And utility spaces to the south (washing line, hot water, outdoor compressors for air con, garden sheds etc). Internally we have 3 bedrooms, a study and open plan kitchen/dining/kitchen plus small activity area for the kids. None of the rooms, other than the activity area are poky. Because it is well designed there is no wasted space, and it flows really well, accomodating two adults and 2 teens while providing a good balance between connection and privacy. Ample ceiling heights, 2.4m high windows and sight lines that connect with the outdoors means it feels spacious despite its relatively compact size. It’s such a joy to live in this house. It feels like the goldilocks house. Not too big, not too small. Just right.