Every time a scroll past this fan posting, I just think yuk, it really is awful and I don't often say that, usually I think isn't great everyone has different tastes ..but that abomination goes nowhere

Hey Sally, This is from the ‘Thermal Mass in Summer’ section from our website, "With correct eave overhang on the North of your building & thermal mass being shielded from direct solar gain we can control the increase in the ambient air temperature of the building. During the day heat gains from external temperature, the occupants of the building, and any electrical lighting and equipment, is absorbed by the exposed thermal mass of the building and releases stored cool within the thermal mass, thus limiting the temperature rise within the space to be within acceptable levels for human thermal comfort. By the end of the day the thermal mass of the building has in turn warmed up, and now as external temperatures reduce the heat can be released and the thermal mass cooled down ready for the start of the next day. However this "regeneration" process is only effective if the building is ventilated at night when the external air temperature has dropped below the internal temperature, to carry away the heat that has been absorbed during the day. This can be achieved through naturally ventilating buildings (opening windows etc.) or the use of automated ventilation systems. This reduces or totally eliminates the need for artificial cooling systems to be installed, thus reducing the overall energy consumption of the building to attain a comfortable living environment." When temperatures do not drop at night for 3-4 nights, our houses are still far more comfortable than outside, warmer than it would be if night ventilation could be achieved, but still a comfortable temperature. In our house we just use ceiling fans during those in-between days! We find that even when it is warmer in our houses in prolonged hot periods than it would be with air-conditioning, the quality of the air and feel of being inside the house is much nicer than what it would be with the everyday use of an air-conditioner – not to mention benefit that not using air-conditioning has on the environment. Hope this answers your question :)

Hi Roger, With the pleached trees, I think your underplanting amps up the tropical look especially if you go with a magnolia that have the dark green upper leave and the bronze underside. You could just go for banana or palms - personally I think you might be right about the clumping bamboo becoming a bit dense. Regarding your 400mm retaining wall - citrus are shallow rooted and tend to have a root system that goes out to their drip line. Maybe if you put it in a corner you can use the corner to espalier it in conjunction with staking it to get upper stablility but I'm not sure how it'd go with the roots - but give it a go at $30-50 depending upon size it's not an huge amount if it doesn't do well - just dig it up (just watch the thorns) and give it to a friend - check out Daileys for varieties and maybe get in touch and see what they think, they might do them on a dwarf root stock - I've found them to be helpful in the past. i'd be reluctant to underplant any kind of citrus though - as they are shallow feeders.

I think you have a sago in your garden already ..the one remaining plant..the other thing that looks really great in pots is mass plantings of mother in law tongues .. Not sure of proper name. Low maintenance, low water, only occasional removal of the odd dead leaf. No leaves to drop in pool. You can get different sorts, to hind the fence go for really tall ones, in long rectangular pots or mass grouping of round, get a few big pots I always think they look better than groups of little ones .. Good luck