Astraea, from what I have read, it seems the force of that tornado leaves nothing unscathed. Kutchie mentioned silos made from concrete 16 ins thick being reduced to rubble - how thick would walls need to be!!! If they can dig a whole in the ground 6ft deep that is a long way down for a basement to be. One would think though NASA could come up with something - spaceships have to withstand huge forces. I was so relieved to hear tonight that the death toll is nowhere near as high as first thought, in fact only a third. Of course one death is tragic and the poor little kids who drowned was horrible. Unfortunately, the mob next door are exempt from zoning laws, they have special protection as part of the Govt's cost cutting methods. Instead of having facilities for serious mentally disabled people they lease homes and, in this case, put 5 of them into the home with full time live-in carers. This is the first time the owners have ever trimmed the trees, despite my constant requests for them to do so. We even had to chop one back that is on the street front as the postman couldn't get to our letter box. This time they have taken the top off them although it is still not necessary for them to be so high, but they did have the power lines running through them which was the biggest concern. I have been going to complain to the Council about them a few times but there is not a lot they can do, I would have to go to some mediation board that has been set up for this sort of thing but it is too far away. The main issue I have is that if any work is done on them, it all has to be done from my side which means they are clomping over my garden and I get the mess, but if I stop them, which I do have the right to do, then I have to put up with the trees right over my side garden and driveway. Legally, they should come to my door and ask permission to enter my property but of course workmen never do. I'm actually wondering if the Charity that runs the home may have organised it as they pruned every tree and shrub on the property, but it is the first time it has been done in about 20 years, so at this rate I may never see them again.

Treasure it for the gem of a 1940s/50s home it is, complete with glorious wrought iron work. Suggestions have been made as to how to boost the height to meet current building codes. You will regret updating the exterior for what is likely to be a one that will date quickly and be higher maintenance . It is only a matter of time until such homes are as treasured as Victorian terraces or Californian bungalows. It is an icon of its time. Accept it for what t is. Why make your house look like a fashion victim of 2019, when it stands in almost the full glory of its original period? It will also save you a fortune too! But yes, minimise the concrete! and add a garden that refects the period the house was built. Roses if you like them, with maybe a magnolia or crepe myrtle feature tree but for lower maintenance try some architectural and ground covering succulents. You could also go with edibles like feature citrus and olives for a Mediterranean feel.

I don't know how big the existing plants were that have now been cut to ground level, but consider that as the root systems of these trees breaks down, there will be subsidence. This will then affect the paving surrounding your pool. I'm just mentioning this so that you are aware of the possibility in future years - it takes some time for this to happen, depending on the size of the trees and the root system. If they were all palms, then the problem may not be so bad as they have a fibrous root system. But underground can be as big a problem as above ground. If in doubt about what to put in pots, something as simple as a Lomandra grass-like plant would look really good - as long as each pot has the same plant. If you can get Lomandra Nyalla - this is a really good one and hardy.

You could look at murraya (mock oranges). They are fairly fast growing, don't drop too many leaves and look good hedged or left as they are if you want less maintenance. They cope with sun and shade and wind. They have small white flowers which would drop into pool at certain times of year (normally in rainy periods). We live in Brisbane and have lots of murrayas in our garden and are very happy with them.