Your problem is the heat generated by the fence and the pool and path. Anything you plant will have to be super tough. All plants loose and replace their leaves. Evergreen drop some leaves all the time and deciduous once a year. Adding pebbles will only reflect more heat and is becoming a dated look along with the cordylines. I'm not sure of your climate but a bullet proof evergreen plant that will cover the fence and take sun, drought and frost is the nandina domestica. Upright growing but no pruning required. There are new varieties of this plant but this one is just the right height to cover the fence. If you get cold weather in winter you will also get autumn colour. Will sucker from the bottom to fill the gap but not a garden thug. Has berries but because of the upright habit should fall into the garden bed. Sometimes called sacred bamboo but not a bamboo.

Yes please, we have a retaining wall dilemma & have bought 2 round tanks but yours are ace! I saw you website a while back & put it in the too hard basket case, lol! Message on my profile works fine thanks David, cheers LouieT

A beautiful and sympathetic facade transformation and update to accomodate a needs of the family.

Just thought. The pool house on the west of the pool, how tall is the building including the roof? This may shade your pool in the afternoon, depending on its exact orientation.