I agree with Fiona about the Ficus - they have shocking root systems and should never be used near pools, houses etc. The width of your retaining wall from the photo looks really narrow, so you are going to have trouble growing most things in there; even the Pittosporums will eventually cause structural damage to the walls. The width of any garden bed should be ideally 1.5 metres at least for proper root establishment. This seems to be hard for most people to understand, but the bigger the plant, the wider the root system. So either widen the retaining wall or you will need to keep the plant lower. The pears mentioned also will never work. 5 years is the testing time of a good garden. When first planted they can look great, but they often break down as they grow. The Ficus and Pears' root systems will keep on expanding after the 5 year period with the Ficus having surface roots that cause massive damage to paving, concrete etc. Google it! And I have seen first hand the damage done by another Landscaper's work, based on inexperience. Get professional advice if in doubt - it is worth it if you get a good one. Alison

Flufftop, there have been many good suggestions in this discussion. You already have two 'WOW' factors in your front yard...your lovely cottage and the tree. Whatever you do needs to link these two with the remainder of the garden and that's not an easy thing to do when you have a variety of ideas coming at you from all directions. Walk around your neighbourhood, go to Diggers for inspiration but also go to your local nursery and ask if they have a garden advisory service. Another option is to find a local garden designer (www.aildm.com.au) and have them visit your garden. They have the knowledge to tie all your ideas and thoughts together. They will suggest ways to incorporate all, or some, of your wishes into a unified design which can be implemented immediately or over a period of time to suit your budget. It will cost you a fee for an hour or two ,or more if you get a plan drawn up, but will save you money and disappointment because you'll be eliminating guess work and mistakes. Best wishes Arthur

Your renovation looks fabulous, I think your decking ideas sound great, I would keep the landscaping quite sharp to compliment the house, a mixture of decking, paving, seating would look stylish, tall ornamental pears along boundary, viburnum hedges, keep planting uniformed for a contemporary look, while the grey decking is nice I think a natural timber would really look luxurious and show off that fab Reno.

Know exactly how you want to use your garden, not just now but in the future. Do you have children where you want a safe place for them to play, will you want to add swings, a trampoline, a sandpit, a cubby house and other play toys kids love, but in years to come these will be replaced with other features. Allow for shade trees not just for your garden but to keep your house cool too. Depending on aspect decide if you need evergreen or deciduous trees - if your garden faces north, for example, deciduous trees are best, they provide cooling shade in summer but allow you to enjoy the winter sun both inside and out. What local wildlife do you have? Consider them when planting too. Use graph paper to draw your garden to scale to get a good idea of how much space you need for features. Measure carefully for space needed for a table and chairs for example and allow sufficient room for access in and around the area. Search "Planning a garden for beginners" on Google - lots of ideas here, practical advice and links to You Tube videos. You will even find garden design ideas on-line. Walk around your local area checking what plants neighbours are successfully growing to get you started on what is best for your area. Bunnings do employ Horticulturists to advise you too. If you have patience, look at buying tubestock plants, these actually grow faster than a larger plant and are so much cheaper. Finally try not to make too much hard work of it, a garden is to be enjoyed, take your time and enjoy the creation as well.