Looks like buffalo in the second lot of photos but it also looks like you could have some couch in there too Buffalo is a great wearing lawn but it is hard and scratchy and kids don't like playing on it too much, unless it is Sir Walter, which is a more friendlier version and the most popular one now. It will respond well to a sandy type of top dressing - black river sand is really good if you can stand the mess for a few weeks while it settles - a sandy soil will give the runners something to grab onto and grow and this is what buffalo needs. I would leave the couch in there for now but dig it out as the buffalo runs to achieve a really even lawn. The buffalo will probably choke most of it out too but do try to control weeds early as it is harder to get them out when the lawn is established and many weed killers will kill buffalo too. Buffalo is very much a surface grass so the clay won't bother it but it will affect your lawn in terms of run off and water absorbency. With winter now approaching, there won't be a lot you can do but study run off over the coming months and where the water pools, time it takes the grass to dry out after rain and then decide just how much you need to do to control water problems. Maybe just running some agriculture piping around the edge of the paving will solve your problems or there may be other areas some piping can help drain quickly. Nothing worse or more irritating than water problems, so it is really worth the effort fixing them in the coming months ready for next spring, the problem will be fixed forever and you can focus on letting the lawn grow. There are quite a few websites with tips on growing buffalo and problems you need to watch out for. This one gives good tips on mowing heights too, which is very important, especially in your heat. If you mow it too low the sun can burn it and kill it. http://softleafbuffalograss.com.au/buffalo-lawn-care-and-articles/maintaining-buffalo-lawn.php

I agree with Julie re grey pavers. I'm not a real fan of things matching too closely, and the raw earthy look and texture of grey pavers appeals more to me. I recommend using a water meter gauge to test the moisture level in the soil next to your M pears. Maybe the soil is too wet, as I imagine with the new turf it has received a fair amount of watering. Also if you take a close-up photo of the struggling tree AND one like you have posted here and show it to an expert at your local nursery, you will get good advice about how to rectify the situation. The ornamental pears planted in one of my garden beds are elevated somewhat so they drain freely. The landscaper did it this way, and they are thriving.

This may sound blunt , but it is so , so easy -- hide everything in your picture ! Look at the neighbours , a nice door and surrounds , in pleasant colours , with nice timber and bricks . Yours is square and open , with vertical wallboards ( maybe even synthetic or cement based ? ) , battening , a billy basic door and light , a window that is totally different again and even has a different coloured surround to the door ! So yes , change the door , do that whole wall or all 3 in a different finish . Do something about the cracked concrete path -- how about tile with terracota tiles , or white ones with a light blue pattern , right up to the door ? And the pipes -- do a canopy , or a facade in natural timber , or a sloping roof in the same material as your main roof -- hide them . Easier than moving them , and the associated risks implied there . I'm here in New Zealand , and I reckon you could do something including labour , and a door and side panels similar to your neighbours , for around $5000 , or $10,000 would be a real step up above your neighbours look haha . I assume your costs would be in that general range .

How wide is the garden bed? 4-5m tall and very narrow is difficult to find. You need to think about things like do you need so much lawn, how much wider could you make the garden bed, how much time will you allow for maintenance to keep the screening plants pruned? Just to be clear, do your back windows face north? You don't want anything that blocks the sun in winter. Although come to think of it I don't see any windows, just an alfresco? Builders really don't understand orientation. What do you mean by pine trees? Maybe you are thinking of pencil pines?