Hi Roger, With the pleached trees, I think your underplanting amps up the tropical look especially if you go with a magnolia that have the dark green upper leave and the bronze underside. You could just go for banana or palms - personally I think you might be right about the clumping bamboo becoming a bit dense. Regarding your 400mm retaining wall - citrus are shallow rooted and tend to have a root system that goes out to their drip line. Maybe if you put it in a corner you can use the corner to espalier it in conjunction with staking it to get upper stablility but I'm not sure how it'd go with the roots - but give it a go at $30-50 depending upon size it's not an huge amount if it doesn't do well - just dig it up (just watch the thorns) and give it to a friend - check out Daileys for varieties and maybe get in touch and see what they think, they might do them on a dwarf root stock - I've found them to be helpful in the past. i'd be reluctant to underplant any kind of citrus though - as they are shallow feeders.

Yeah , I'm more with Austere -- I personally would have gone more luxe , and more variety in colours and textures and fittings . The kitchen -- I like the light , and theres the original door with the brass knob . Thats the good bits . Okay , I like eclectic , and themes -- I would have had every door with a 'surround' part and a chamferred centre -- the centre in that 50's light mint green , the rest in english cream . 'Period' brass handles , knobs , hinges . And not shiny brass -- aged . If you want a slightly more modern look -- get an engineer to make you long S shaped handles , in aged brass . At least some of the subway tiles in a mid green . As luxe as possible -- I actually saw some mid green subways a while ago that had streaks through them that looked like NZ greenstone ! Beautiful IMO . The rest of the tiles maybe in a plain mint green , or obviously stick with the white if you want to be 'safe' . The fridge a mint green Smeg . The stove top brand new but in cast black . The oven a similar reproduction in black . Black and white floor tiles . Ideally as intricate as the bathroom , but even 100 x 100 in a chequerboard pattern , with a black or even mid green ( to tie in with the wall subways as above ) tile frieze around the edge . In fact , how would a white and mid green tiled floor look , maybe in small fiddly looking 50mm tiles , with the light mint partial doors and fridge ? Maybe a bit small and too intricate for a kitchen floor , but I guess you'd have a resin not a grout ? Natural wooden floors would work -- wood veneer replicas not so much . Luckily I'm not an expert , just an enthusiastic amateur . We all have different tastes , and although I do like to stick to themes , my whole attitude is to 'improve' something . It often doesn't cost a lot more . I dislike boring .

If you want a supremely comfortable, mid-century, Australian designed armchair you can't go past a Tessa T21. You can spend thousands on buying a brand new one from a department store, or a few hundred for a second-hand one in good condition. They are an Australian classic, have been produced for decades using quiality materials, and just last and last. They are much better made than any of the cliched Eames replicas, and unlike a replica will last a lifetime. However you will need to buy more than one to avoid household fights about who gets the comfy chair. This photo is a second hand one that is currently available in Sydney. http://julietsbalcony.com.au/tessa-t21-fred-lowen/4585419209 Best of luck, Dr Retro of Dr Retro House Calls

You're welcome Jen. I think it was $70 shipping Australia wide. All feature herringbone tiles I'd looked at were so expensive and I found theirs for 65/ metre. I ordered extra and I'll use them for the Landry too.