I agree with Fiona about the Ficus - they have shocking root systems and should never be used near pools, houses etc. The width of your retaining wall from the photo looks really narrow, so you are going to have trouble growing most things in there; even the Pittosporums will eventually cause structural damage to the walls. The width of any garden bed should be ideally 1.5 metres at least for proper root establishment. This seems to be hard for most people to understand, but the bigger the plant, the wider the root system. So either widen the retaining wall or you will need to keep the plant lower. The pears mentioned also will never work. 5 years is the testing time of a good garden. When first planted they can look great, but they often break down as they grow. The Ficus and Pears' root systems will keep on expanding after the 5 year period with the Ficus having surface roots that cause massive damage to paving, concrete etc. Google it! And I have seen first hand the damage done by another Landscaper's work, based on inexperience. Get professional advice if in doubt - it is worth it if you get a good one. Alison

Lovely little flower, bm220! All the potted succulents on our deck were battered by hail and looked similar to yours. The ones that are under roof were undamaged so I kinda figured hail was the main culprit. Some also were affected by what looked like mould. I'm pretty sure I was overwatering them, plus there are saucers under all the pots because I don't want the decking ruined, so they weren't free-draining. I've had to get rid of a some, and from others I removed the mould-affected foliage and those seem to be recovering, albeit slowly. Still, I love succulents for their interesting and varied architectural looks, and they are very easy and fast growers. And the flowers!

Well, the yard is full of cacti and succulents... And it's new. The only things with flowers now are the euphorbia milii, so no especial attractant. Being a newish build (just less than 12 months since we moved in) there are many more established and flowery gardens within stone's throw. I really would hope there's nothing attractive on the bricks - it can't be the colour, as the garden walls are entirely different to the house, and built at a different time, (recently). There are other houses around with these bricks, but no sleeping bees! Lol. I hope the fairies at the bottom of the garden didn't spray sugar spray on the walls! I have no desire to plant large trees on my suburban block. I've put in a pomegranate which is still a small sapling, about a 60cm stick with no flowers. I've put in a Yucca, but it hasn't even a stem, yet, let alone flowers. That's why I'm stumped. The street trees are ornamental pear, however none are in flower, and we don't even have ours yet. A few blocks away they have the dreaded plane trees - beautiful, but deadly for my allergies. There are a few reserves, so I wish the trees would hurry and get big there so the birds have somewhere. They love builder's left over lunches, but there's not much shelter here. I'll try the thyme, but they like those flowers, too. I dunno! (Throws hands in air...) Wondering now, if it's because the bricks are heavily textured and they can grip well?

Cacti don't tend to grow well in fertile soil. Cacti mix is very loose and open with little water retention because many succulents rot if they receive too much water. I would leave it in the pot. To plant it in the garden you will need to build a raised garden bed with the appropriate mix in it anyway.