hi Neryl and others, I love fire pits and we have a special area in the yard with stone seating around it. we love it and it is great for the kids and when they have friends over. we often burn these funny hexagonal 'logs' which are made from recycled something (I cant remember whether its paper or woodchips). we got them from Bunnings but I can't find them on bunnings website right now. they are called ecologs or something like that. they are slow burning and good. we have the chappala sun god fire pit from bunnings and it has been good. the metal parts do rust tho. the good thing about it is the screen lid which I feel is a bit safer. but the lid does get hot so you need an oven mitt or similar to lift it to roast marshmallows or add more wood or anything. downside is it has no drainage hole so fills with rainwater. good luck

Wow one day I'd love the budget to just say..."I would like this, this and this, and get rid of that and that"..and have it turn out as beautifully as this space. Well done!

@Anne we are drawing to the end of our similar area renovations, I am looking forward to getting the furniture out of storage and thinking what stays and what goes.. it is exciting but exhausting as well we moved out for 4 weeks while structural stuff was done and have been back in for four with about 2 weeks to go, very tough living, my best friend has been a $29 target electric frypan, I am the creative gourmet of electric fry pan foods , good luck with your job, ours is finally looking like it has been worth it. The only bad trade we have had is the electrician and he is going to be here in half an hour I need to get dressed and be ready to have stern words with him

I love that firepit Planted Passion. legendaryflame Im in lower Blue Mountains so not proper heights for rhododendrons. I guess my vision is to have some more shade in summer, spots of colour for bees and birds, a haven to come home to. We would love all of the things you have mentioned. This is our home for the next 20 years, so we have time to work at our own pace, im not sure what the priority should be. id love 1 or 2 maples sitting either side of some lovely stairs going down the middle of where the pigface is. im not sure if maples are tough enough.