Analysis first, then plan, as Tookoo recommends. Use native plants, as neotoma recommends. Get specific plant recommendations locally, as Terri & sgelade recommend. Here is my two cents worth, for the shortterm. a. Remove and stockpile the lawn edging and most of the mulch back against the fences. b. Take a can of spray paint, or a bundle of surveyor's flag, and mark the largest circular or curved form that will fit within the fenced areas, no matter where the trees stand (inside or outside of the line) to form the temporary edge of your lawn area. See if the entire family agrees on the alignment or just do what looks best to you as the Senior Gardener. c. Add the wood edging to the new edge, or, it will look a lot better if the edge is not visible, using a steel edge whose top edge is down just above the grass roots and no longer visible, and not an impediment to the lawn mower. (when you form the plant beds, you will dig down a couple inches at the edge, where it meets the steel, and then slope the bed up from there, and the mulch will be contained at the level of the lawn, beyond) My recommendation, after you call in your landscape advisor, is to fill the beds totally with ground cover, beneath the shrubs, so no mulch will be seen after the two years of plant growth, using only a finer textured mulch which will become part of the soil bed. (Maybe the bark mulch will smell good in your new fire pit, along with the wood edging.) d. Plant the entire area with grass seed or sod and enjoy the beauty. The curved edge will make the space appear and feel larger and will decrease the maintenance of the smaller bed areas. On the subject of tree placement: analyse first, then plan. Look at all the views beyond your fenceline from all windows of the house, the living/ dining areas, all the bedrooms, to enhance the good views and to block the big, the bad, and the ugly. The large trees on your list will block views from the upper windows, The small horizontally branched trees will be a piece of sculpture in your downstairs view throughout the year, while their flowering and fragrance yet another reason to be alive. For instance, if you have an attractive small tree that has attractive flowers and foliage, PLUS has attractive bark color and has a sculptural quality in the off-season, you won't have to visit the museum quite as often, with a sculpture garden right out your window.

I, too, like the idea of the fence being painted in Monument, or something similar. You look like you live in either in the tropics or subtropics, judging by the photos. Apart from looking attractive, you also want to the plants to have low leaf drop, be fairly hardy, not have an invasive root system, be reasonably low maintenance and sun tolerant (the pool area looks very hot and sunny, and you didn't mention if the palms next door provide any shade during the day). Anyway, here is my 5 cents worth: native pigface "Aussie Rambler"; blue fescue; bromeliad Neoregelia sheba; philodendron Xandadu; sun-tolerant cordyline species; dwarf ixora; dwarf frangipani. Bambino bougs also look lovely near a pool. You'll be picking up the old bracts as they drop but they look so gorgeous its worth it. Touch of Class have recently introduced some beautiful new varieties of dwarf oleanders (we have "Isabella"). Oleanders have been given a really bad rap about their toxicity, and yes, they are poisonous, however, they have never caused a human fatality in Australia and are no more toxic than many other plants we put in our home gardens. Apparently, they are a more of a threat to livestock who seem to eat them despite their bitter taste. Having said that, I wouldn't use them if you have young children or pets that like to chew everything. You'll have noticed that most of the plants I have suggested are of the "dwarf" variety. This is so the plants don't become too big for the pool area, and to help keep maintenance down. A self-cleaning palm like the golden cane, foxtail or Alexander could provide some overhead shade, but only if they were planted at least 1.5m away from the pool (preferably more). I would also be mulching with stones to minimise it ending up in the pool on windy or rainy days. Although I love natives, I have not suggested them, other than the pigface, to keep maintenance and leaf drop to a minimum.

Hi Rick, I am presuming you are in Queensland because of the pebble crete driveway. If so i would suggest you get rid of the whole dated bed and go back to lawn. Save what you can from the bed, the palms and conifers would look great in pots. They could also be put in long planter box under the front window symmetrically with an agave in the middle. Your house has straight geometric lines so would suit formal style garden with Murraya hedging, grow to mid thigh height across the front from letterbox , leaving open for entry path, and both sides could be higher. For height I would plant advanced Bangalow palms or candle stick Cyprus pines either side of your entry, and put a stepping stone pathway in the lawn, from your front boundary near letterbox to the front door to save visitors from squeezing past cars. The other path which comes off the driveway would be just for your own use. I would under plant these with 3 Cycads or Zanadu for each, fill in and edge with Rhoeo making a small bed. This will make your entry stand out. Improve soil with compost or cow manure be for planting and mulch well with dark cottage mulch. On the right hand side between the end of the window and the new hedge I would plant a shady evergreen specimen tree in the front corner of thelawn. The trees over the road in the pictures look good. Tuckeroo tree? Under plant to soften with star jasmine ground cover. Clip to keep neat. your lawn needs feeding then it will lush up and be more protected from the heat. Keep blade high, don't scalp! Simple and clean lines look modern and stylish. Good luck! Josie

Well, the yard is full of cacti and succulents... And it's new. The only things with flowers now are the euphorbia milii, so no especial attractant. Being a newish build (just less than 12 months since we moved in) there are many more established and flowery gardens within stone's throw. I really would hope there's nothing attractive on the bricks - it can't be the colour, as the garden walls are entirely different to the house, and built at a different time, (recently). There are other houses around with these bricks, but no sleeping bees! Lol. I hope the fairies at the bottom of the garden didn't spray sugar spray on the walls! I have no desire to plant large trees on my suburban block. I've put in a pomegranate which is still a small sapling, about a 60cm stick with no flowers. I've put in a Yucca, but it hasn't even a stem, yet, let alone flowers. That's why I'm stumped. The street trees are ornamental pear, however none are in flower, and we don't even have ours yet. A few blocks away they have the dreaded plane trees - beautiful, but deadly for my allergies. There are a few reserves, so I wish the trees would hurry and get big there so the birds have somewhere. They love builder's left over lunches, but there's not much shelter here. I'll try the thyme, but they like those flowers, too. I dunno! (Throws hands in air...) Wondering now, if it's because the bricks are heavily textured and they can grip well?