Hi Anna, just looking at your layout... I would move your pedestrian path over a little so that your pedestrian gate is lined up with the archway closest to your front door ( Arch 1). I would remove the screen as this breaks up the space and interrupts the flow from street to front door. Moving the path over will also allow for thicker planting alongside the edge of the driveway which will make your courtyard quieter and more private. I think the next step for you would be to then consider the shape of your lawn. As your house has a Mediterranean feel, a strong geometric shape would work the best - square, rectangle, or even a square with a half circle at each end. Leave a minimum of 1.5 metres to the boundaries, particularly if you want nice thick hedging. Finally, consider a couple of features to add interest and draw the eye - keeping with the Mediterranean feel, a couple of lemon trees in pots would look fab! Hope that helps and good luck with your project!

Do a row of Illawarra Flame trees. It will look so amazing in November! I'm a fan of hedges too. If you do a row of trees, under plant them with a creeper like Westringia (coastal rosemary) that barely needs water. I like the variegated ones. You can clip them into a hedge. Some varieties of grevillea make good ground covers too, but have a look at the ones you like the look of. All so different. All Along the edge of the garden in front of everything, do a row of dwarf Liriope grass. Will look very smart with layers of plants like this. You get the look of a formal garden with all Aussie natives..........alternatively, you could swap out the flame trees and do a row of Canadian maples. They like wet winters and hot dry summers like SA. Will look amazing in autumn.

As a parent, this story touched my heart. What a beautiful way to remember his soul and to start healing. Gardens breathe life into the home. I wish that the family finds their peace.

Strong geometry, cool blue and glass and a plain lawn background. to fill the diamond with bush is going to cancel out its strength. But something different to the slightly sterile design compilation … if the finance is there, get two or three massive raw rock slabs and one spectacular architectural tree. resist going vertical .. layer them horizontally to slightly overlap or break the hard lines of the diamond, but not to obscure it. Then choose you vertical with a sculptural tree. There are vertical cherry trees with spectacular autumn colour which would contrast with the rocks (texturally), and be floaty like the water in the pool…. whatever the tree, lift the foliage up from the soil level, and underplant with jut one kind of tight low ground cover, even moss (if your climate can support) or ground hugging juniper that you can train inside the diamond. This combination of elements is rich for the eye, softens the geometry, and adds interest which is lacking right now. The place for shrubs and grasses and palms is to border the lawn.