Timandra knows best, I believe, and has the experience to back her up. My comment is not plant-related, however. You have a front facade of door after door, and nowhere to go, except a narrow horizontal path. How about some front terraces, where you can burst out of one of those front rooms onto a sunny sitting area to have your morning coffee with a neighbor. Why not leave some doors open or change to glass, so the front terrace becomes an outdoor room, and extention of the interior space. How about a pedestrian walk out to the street, or over to the pictured tree, evergreen and plant bed, where you could have a shady terrace. Enjoy the outdoors, don't let your family become nature-deprived, with all the electronics that occupy our kids lives these days. Get them unplugged and outside - you too! You have a wonderful opportunity to achieve great things. Analyze first, then plan.

Where is north in this photo? It looks to me as though the area in question is fairly shaded so a lot of the above options wont work if the area is on the southern side of the home, especially because of the winter shade. The space gets afternoon sun - in summer or winter? There are shadows from trees - are these deciduous or evergreen? Clay can vary enormously from being plasticine like to clay with rocks or stones in it. This will have an enormous bearing on the plants that you can use, precluding plants like westringias that require very good drainage. A plant that is as tough as old boots that will grow in both sun and shade [with some sunlight during the day] is Buxus microphylla var japonica varieties, while Aucuba japonica [Gold dust plant] or even some of the native lomandra grasses would work well. The first two can be grown as a hedge with the latter choosing a variety that you like [ there are so many], but have the plants all the same - don't mix them up. These will all grow in some shade, will grow in clay as well if it isn't too poorly drained. It does appear as though the area is sloping ever so slightly away from the house which is good. But I would steer clear of paving - unless its needed for access etc, it will look patchy and pointless - use plants instead to make your picture - its far more sustainable. Alison

Love your space! Very tropical place Bali and inspires holidays to most of us. From first look it is a bit too much contrast with the grey/pink theme and the beautiful painting, lights etc are not quite enough. I would get three pots, very large, medium & small in aged mustardy yellow or aqua. Big glossy green plants in them with the smallest on the coffee table having something softer like maidenhair. The flowers on the side table would move to another spot, dining table, bedroom, bathroom or kitchen. Medium squat aqua pot here instead with strappy green leaves and a beautiful mirror above or behind it. The tall pot near the light to cast some shade from the hot sun. Add plumper cushions in assorted sizes and shapes and a pretty mint green tea set ready to serve.

Gum trees are provide a stunning canopy to any garden, but as with any large tree close to your home, you need to be mindful of its health and possible future limb failure. Sudden limb failure in Eucalypts is the result of periods of dry weather, impacts on a tree's root zone and subsequent moisture stress. I recommend creating a beautiful native garden in this area with groundcovers and grasses that are suited to the sunlight available. Make sure the area is properly mulched (organic mulch is best) and that you water the area during periods of hot weather. It's also worthwhile having an arborist look at the tree every 12 months of so to make sure it is still healthy.