We went with Monument and I am delighted. I was worried about it making the house hotter, but not at all as we added some extra insulation while the roof was lifted. We look over our roof to Mt Dandenong and it really feels like we are floating above the rooftops now (previously had a lighter color). I have also noticed there is far less glare being darker. Pic below is not my best shots ... but you get the idea. Forgot to add we also have a flat cliplock roof and used a combination of Monument and Dune on the house.

Hello Anna , Camellias are a beautiful tree and they come from the cooler regions of Asia and are more suited to a humid / cooler conditions. I have them on the southern side of my home here in Sydney where they have protection from the hot sun . Flowers will burn as will some leaves from hot winds and dry conditions are not really to their liking . I’m not saying they won’t grow, they will but will struggle and need to keep roots moist . They become quite broad and will eventually brush against cars etc as your driveway is narrow . Crepe myrtles are from India originally and the warmer Asian countries. They do lose leaves and with this comes a change of view as the leaves turn a bright orange/yellow and give you completely different look . After this the tree will be bare for a few months exposing the stunning bark ( more mature trees ) that you just cannot walk past without touching . Then in spring the new growth is like green ! They don’t really NEED to be pruned but you will get lots more flowers . As you are using this in a driveway i would just let the grow naturally and as a narrow, tall ish tree =. Great for drive way . Let me take a picture of mine here in Sydney . I will send it next . Also , as you are driving around your area keep an eye out for trees that catch your eye , ask your local nursery man , if you have one . Crepes love hot dry areas and will not need watering at all after established . That’s why some councils in nsw use them as nature strip trees = low care !! Most important of all ...... enjoy yourself !! Gardening very rewarding

Hi Polly, I live in SE Qld, so completely different climate from you. Where I live, Lomandra are incredibly hardy and will grow in shade or sun. Westringia are also hardy, They will take part-shade and adapt very well to being clipped to size. I'm also happy with my dianella. They are really great for getting green 'lushness' in shade. I grow quite a few grevilleas. The hybrid ones flower all year round and give great colour to the garden - and the birds love them. I also grow leptospermum, melaleucas and callistemons in areas where my drainage isn't good enough for grevilleas. I also like Chrysocephalum apiculatum as a ground cover. According to the experts it grows in Melbourne. Where I live it's very long-flowering and spills onto paths nicely. I'm growing a few lilliepillies in shady areas, but we had lots in our last garden so I wanted a change. We have no lawn at all in our garden. No kids or dogs so don't need it. There are so many wonderful natives. Our local Bunnings actually stocks quite a few, or you can find a specialist native nursery that will have an even bigger selection. They can give you advice on what will grow well in your situation.

Your site is far too exposed for Maples. They are small trees that really need to be buffered from winds and too much sun by other plantings. They also need the soil constantly moist which will be nearly impossible on that slope. You really don't want to grow magnolias anywhere near the footings of a house. Have you seen how large a tree they are? Since you are in a temperate zone and like autumn foliage I can recommend a gingko tree. It will be right sized for your yard and give you that similar lighter than air look and autumn colour as maples but it's more hardy. Another option are silver birches. I would hedge the boundary for privacy and also to cut down winds to your garden which will dry out the grass and scorch it. With that slope you are going to need more rocks I think to prevent your topsoil from washing away in the first rain. It's really no use of us to provide you a list of random plants. What you need to do is put together a series of photo's of gardens you like the look of, then find plants to match that style. If you don't plan gardens then you end up with the ubiquitous suburban patch of grass and odd bushes look instead of a lovely garden.