Trying to find something to wear and for some reason grooming myself. If I jump on Pinterest the night before and grab some ideas it usually helps. I think Houzz will also help me out since discovering it. Need to de clutter my wardrobe and this app has some great features to assist me.

Neighbours that let you be you. I like it if neighbours help each other out, but above that I'd place letting you live as you like. The suburbs drive me insane with the lawnmowing fanaticism and treehating. The suburban hegemony has destroyed every wildflower/natural style garden I've had. Letters from council that tell you to mow your modern ornamental grass garden or cop a fine are disappointing. And neighbours that poison your screening hedge through the fence break my heart. I'm quite comfortable with there being a style or a look maintained in the front yard, but backyards should be how you want them. I'd love to be able to relax outside my house without neighbours gawking. It creeps me out. I would love it if neighbours were sensitive to the fact that what they do impacts others re: spraying pesticides, not cleaning their chimneys, burning off rubbish when you have washing out etc... There seem to be some things that are sacrosanct in Australian neigbourhoods... eg. ultrashort lawns and pitiful treescapes, while casual alcoholism and environmental degradation are totally fair game.

Something like silver birch trees don't take up too much room but will provide some height and interest. Personally I pick out natives, after asking local garden centres for those which are natural to my area. I've used black mondo grass across the front of my walls with purple fountain grass behind it. The fountain grass really takes the summer heat, doesn't need much water and self-seeds. It's grown slightly taller than me after a few years. I have, what I call a 'survival of the fittest' garden. Over the years, I've experimented with all sorts of plants. Eventually, only those that survive with little help, and almost no extraneous watering, get to stay. One of the key things I did when planting out my garden was to dig down into the soil and lay a mat of used, natural-blend carpet underlay (not the more synthetic types used these days). Just ask someone getting rid of their old carpet- it's easy to come across. Above the carpet underlay I added water crystals, then put the soil back on top. After the gardens have been established, I haven't need to get the hose out since. I do have lots of succulents around the place, some native plants and ornamental grasses. I hope this helps.

Hi mutcherson, Having once owned in this type of development myself, quite often even the landscaping has to be unified. We, new to this style of living, bought and started to put up a garden shed, within our own side yard, and we got a knock at the door, you need approval for that, some neighbours upset, they had a meeting and they eventually let us go ahead! Judging by your photo, showing your side sliding door, it looks as though your front yard is private? if that is the case, you can probably plant as you wish, we did, we had more of a cottage garden, but the overall development landscaping in the public areas was more Australian natives style. So add lots of different height and colourful pots. Then pick a spot, close to your front door, to add a nice bench for relaxing, sunning yourself in winter, reading and putting on and taking off of shoes, perhaps some outdoor bright scatter cushions to make it even more comfy. Also, if your garden is large enough, perhaps make a little area out of recycled bricks layed in a circle, place a small setting of round table and chairs and add a colourful umbrella, nice for visitors to share a coffee or for you to read the Sunday papers. Around the garden, plant taller plants with underplanting of variegated foliage or colourful flowers, what about some lemons, which you could grow espalier style up your fence/s, what about a small potting bench or storage of somesort? I have seen some small garden sheds in the shape of a guard box, which can be brightly coloured which would be quirky! What about buying and hanging some chimes (not the loud type though). Finally, add a nice piece of sculpture or art on the wall next to your front door, this will all help make it YOUR space! You can do all or some of these suggestions, as long as the overall effect is not too busy. You enjoy your new home.