It depends on where you are situated. Japanese Maples are from........Japan. Their climate is much kinder than ours and they also get significant winter cold and snow. If you can't replicate these conditions, then you are forever pampering them to try to keep them looking good. Personally I would prefer to grow a tree that I KNOW will work without the fuss. They are also fussy about soil and hot northerly winds.

Whatever you do never plant a gum! They have no place in suburban areas! The sooner the council realises that these trees kill people the better! We have had two gum trees fall on the back of our house now, one in 2012 and one in 2014. We are so lucky that myself, my husband, three children, three dogs, five Guinea pigs, two parrots and one bearded dragon were not injured. It's just a miracle not once but twice! I still don't know how we escaped unharmed. The gums do not have a stable root system and they grow very shallow, they get to the point where they just fall over. And the scary thing is they fall silently. They are not called 'Widow Makers' in the bush for no reason. I like the Tuckeroo tree, not sure of scientific name. They grow with a straight trunk and keep their foliage in a straight and symmetrical line along the bottom and grow hiding their branches. Essentially they look like a large mushroom. They are green all year too. I think they get to about 6 metre or ten if they have to reach for the sun.

Thank you, you cant see the the trees I have in the photos due to winter but I have 12 trees already in my front yard. ( 7 silver birch, 1 mop top 2 weepings, 1 red maple and a another) I do love the hedging. I was thinking something like the below photo with the same path going to my front door but placing the same purple plants around the sides that I have in my 3rd photo . I would like to use edging do I place some along the 3rd photo. I love the above photo with the trees and hedge layering, I could do that along the front fence. What do you think ? I don't really know plant names so I am saying sorry in advance

Hi A P, I think the magnolia would be perfect, a well drained moist soil with a mulch to keep roots cool would be ideal, I feed mine dynamic lifter pellets and power feed/seasol spray and they are doing great, search online for what’s available in your area, we have Plantmark in Victoria but I noticed that you have one in Sydney, if you know a landscaper he can buy one from them at wholesale, if not a local nursery can source the size you are after, it’s a perfect choice for your window, it will look gorgeous.