Thanks Susan, Much appreciated. I captured the name of the plant and then can not see rest of email- must have something to do with my Houzz settings? But the hint re pinch off top for bushing out came too. Thank you for responding, Naomi

@ alchemy, I can see you've put allot of effort into your beautiful yard and pool and whist I agree that you will probably regret a deciduous tree, irrespective of it losing most of its leaves in a short period, it would be allot of work clearing that debris from your pool but I agree that you need to complete your yard with greenery. I think the ficafolia suggested by bigreader could look stunning but I have one in my yard (no pool) and the gumnuts this little tree of mine drops must be seen to be believed albeit they dont blow. A palm of course is one of the best trees due to its lack of debris and the tropical look it provides is always a winner, however, getting one fairly established would be the way as they don't grow super fast but the expense of such a tree could be quite prohibitive. I would seriously listen to advice offered by people with an outdoor pool as experience is the best teacher, so you must decide just how much work you want to give yourself over and above the normal workload simply having an outdoor pool and I'd strongly consider the suggestion Mel N offered of putting up a sun shade or sail initially and see how that works for you. Best of luck. Cheers, Barbara

I have lots of these at my place, very hardy!! Give them some initial love and they will return it for a lifetime. I have also broken off a few of the end pieces from time to time (once it is doing well) and have placed them in water - my oldest one is going on a year in the water alone!

Why do so many people have an aversion with trees? Is it a lack of understanding of the absolute importance of trees in our environment? Or is it merely because of the presumed connotation of trees = mess? I will say from the outset, that I am a fervent tree lover; of the variety who hugs trunks to feel the tree's driving energy. If you've never experienced this, it's worth doing. It is also an excellent way of determining the health and vigour of a tree, as a cool trunk denotes a healthy tree. If the sensation is dry and warm, then the tree is under stress, often due to a lack of water. Trees are being felled at an alarming rate in both city and regional areas. It is the Australian indigenous trees that I am most concerned about. And they are being removed at an alarming rate. Our ubiquitous gum tree is really out of favour in many council areas. Even in industrial areas, where too often trees succumb from the effects of industrial pollution, there are varieties of indigenous plants that will withstand most toxins. Sulphur is a particularly noxious pollutant that will kill trees. Big trees are toppling with our worsening wind storms. We regularly see pictures during news broadcasts of big trees falling - often Eucalypts. Unfortunately this is giving these majestic beauties a bad name. And for the wrong reasons. Urban sprawl has a lot to do with this problem. Arborists are called in as consultants to Civil Engineers to determine the viability of trees adjacent to proposed roads or road extensions. Either these arborists are unaware of the zone of influence of big trees, or the site construction manager is not following instruction. Trees are too often falling because of human mismanagement, maybe years prior to the fall. It is not because it is a Eucalypt or big tree. There is a formula for determining the protection zone around big trees. This is in dire need of further consideration. I believe it to be far too lenient against the well-being of the tree. And there appears to be no follow-up scrutiny by arborists after the construction phase is over; this should be made mandatory and signed off. This will add a cost to the overall project, but for the preservation of trees, is essential. In heavy foot traffic areas why not make footpaths wider? Enough room for pedestrians, but an equal width, surrounded by aggregate, for trees to have the ability to grow without concrete around them. I have seen this done in some inner city areas, and thought how sensible this decision. It's all about considering at all times, the well-being of the tree. They take many, many years to grow to their big size. They need to be preserved at all costs in optimum condition. Trees can breathe through their root systems. If these roots are covered with asphalt, concrete or other non-porous material, then these trees will never perform well. If trees were planted in clumps, using different varieties within the clump, this would yield greater health in this group with healthier ecosystems formed around biodiversity more so than monoculture. Planting in clumps also helps trees support each other during wind storms. Tree corridors should be considered with urban planning. And these should, where possible, be locally indigenous plantings, to provide habitat for local birds and animals. Councils need to develop strategies to combat complaints from residents who dont like trees. The environmental wellbeing of a region cant continue to be dictated by people who lack the capacity to recognize the increasing importance to human and environmental health from growing trees. The 'dumbing down' factor has so much influence on so many things. Environmental integrity is one area where this effect should have no say at all. And it needs to be resoundingly rebutted if ignorant comment is made. Then maybe, trees will be able to live as respected health providers. Alison Aplin Timandra Design & Landscaping www.timandra.com.au