As a sustainable advocate, I would always prefer to use an aggregate as these allow for natural penetration of any rain that falls on site. Complex drainage systems aren't required to take runoff from the paved driveway and so the end result to me is not only totally sustainable but is cheaper. And if you plant trees down the side of paved driveways, the paving or cobbles too often lift and become walking hazards. Burglars also don't like aggregates!

I like the bricks in the fence and you don't want to paint or render this, as you would be providing a lovely, fresh canvas for graffiti 'artists' to scribble on your walls. However, you could create a border area just in front of the fence and plant some shrubs or narrow trees. (Just saw a segment on Catalyst on the ABC the other day on types of trees which help to filter out pollution from your home. Silver birch trees seemed to do well, whilst taking up very little space and being quite sparse.) Even a border of mondo grass would be good, though this is very short in height.

Try diggers paint brush restorer. Small patch first, you don't want it to spread it. Failing that there is a company called So Safe. It produces graffiti remover and will get rid of that in minutes. My guys use a lot of it with very good results.

Jacey, nice to see you are still here, many aren't after this length of time. I'm having a little chuckle here as when I originally read your post, my first thought was "move house", but I didn't want to sound so rude as to say so. It reminded me of my first house which was at the flat end of the street but the other end was very much "mountain goat territory" and the driveways reminded me of yours. After living in the homes for years, some spent mega amounts removing rock and excavating to create a garage more at road level and from there the stairs started zig-zagging to the front entry, new front entries were even created at a lower level, but the stairs still continued inside the house, there was just no escaping the climb. I wondered how you even got your wheelie bins up and down the drive. Hope you are enjoying your new home, long term I think you made a very wise decision.