I thought I would post a few pics of our front landscaping. We have had design and physical help from a landscaper, of sorts. We did, however have a huge amount of input into the design. My only problem now is I don't know what to plant. I have read a lot of Fu's threads and posts and I don't want a 'mcgarden'. I want to use native plants, if possible, and I would like to have red as a 'feature' colour. The garden in the deck area needs to be something low I don't want to obscure the front window too much. I would like a feature plant in front of the screen. I have looked at leucadendron safari sunset for this but I really don't want to get it wrong.

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Here are some pics of my landscaping. All suggestions welcome. TIA

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What about some red hot pokers? Or some red kangaroo paw?

Thanks for your response Joles, I have considered both. DH isn't keen on the kangaroo paws because they get black spots and are effected by frost, which we have plenty of. I can see that decking bed mass planted with them. Maybe I can convince him somehow.

My other suggestion would be a low growing grevillia or similar. They's fill out the space really well. I have also gone for plants with flowers that are red in tone (along with orange and yellow) and I haven't killed the grevillias yet. In fact I'd go so far as to say they are thriving. That means they must be virually unkillable.

Unkillable - that sounds like a challenge!
I quite like grevillias too.

They bring the birds too.

The neighbours cats would love that!

So for the garden bed in front of the house with the urn water feature personally I would put my favourite little plant Isolepis Nodosa (knobby club rush) mass planted basically SET and FORGET

the other garden bed in front of the screen I would have both a Grafted flowering Gum and a Doryanthes excelsa (gymea lily)
extra colour provided by Brachyscome's or Grevillea lanigera Mt.Tamboritha (Mt tambourine Grevillea) as an under planting with a couple of extra isolepis to marry the spaces together

One suggestion is if you have some free time head to http://www.kuranga.com.au/ and visit the nursery
I have only ever heard of good things about this nursery and it may spark some more ideas on plant selection

Kuranga is great; they always have a 'show' set up for ideas, and the staff are always helpful.

I agree with grevilleas; maybe also a tea-tree for the screen - there was a magnificent one with red/copper hued foliage, my parents had one and it was lovely. Also if you go to Kuranga, just have a browse in the relevant height section. You can find treasures doing it that way!

Oh man, although they aren't native the Leucs look amazing! Checkout the Proteaflora website to see a better selection and they should have heights. They are appealing to native habitat and the colours are fantastic

I know it isn't Victorian (or Mexican as I call it ) but look the info and plant selections in here for native designs are really second to none. Not all these incredible plants will be available over you way but have a ring around and cut and paste varieties into your browser to get images of what they are
http://www.zanthorrea.com/info.php
When so many of the plants you guys buy over there have WA origins, why not look to our resources for inspiration

*Any West Aussies reading this, plan a picnic soon and take a trip out into the Wheatbelt, you'll be inspired by the colour! Also check out Kings Park as the names and plants are set out in ways you can adopt at home in your landscape
http://www.bgpa.wa.gov.au/kings-park/ma ... nct-venues
http://www.bgpa.wa.gov.au/kings-park/wa ... overy-walk

Could be best with only two or three species in there being such a small space. Maybe use the Leuc. Safari Sunset around the side and in front of the fence. Then have Acacia cognata Limelight or fettuccine around under them The smaller isolated bed would bed great just with one colour of taller Kanga Paw. Rampaging Roy Slaven is a nice one that also supports a charity Autumn Blaze would also look a treat Remember to resist the temptation of mulching with pebbles. Keep the soil living and healthy into the future with heavy layers of straw/hay of any type or natural freshly shredded tree mulch and no it doesn't blow around once you wash it down with the hose You'll have a highly waterwise garden that smells lovely and looks a treat with plenty of native birds popping by to either feed the cat or entertain you

Thanks Fu for your suggestions, you named two plants I had been considering. I am definitely steering clear of pebbles as mulch. Looks like I am off to the nursery for a spot of shopping.
Thanks everyone for your suggestions. I will post some more pics when something is planted.

Hey what about using in there as well some Leucodenron purple something or other? Geeze I can't recall the name Has a soft purple grey tinge to the colour, would look pretty flash against existing colours of you home. I love the"Bush Diamond" It has a silver/white flower and when planted in good numbers will blow you away ( they look crap in the nurseries though on their own It's a hard sell that one, till you ever see them in mass )

http://www.proteaflora.com.au/plant-search/leucadendron

Heh heh, that's it, Purple Haze
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Bush Diamond
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and here it is a bit hard to see but the underplanting looks to be Bush Diamond
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Acacia cog. Limelight (A bit into this one at the moment) and colour is a bit washed out in the pic but you get the idea
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Oh and also what about using a Banksia Birthday or Cherry Candles in among a taller Kangapaw like Rampaging Roy which would stick up? Maybe 3 banksias and two Kanga paws
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Thanks for all the suggestions Fu. I have bought the Rampaging Roy Slaven kangaroo paws, couldn't leave them behind when I saw that the charity for research into Autism Spectrum Disorder. I also bought the leucodendron safari sunset and the limelights. I am not sure that my side garden bed is big enough for them. I might use them somewhere else and have a look for the bush diamond to plant with the leucodendrons. I posted at another time for a difficult garden bed I have out the back. I think the banksias would look great in that garden. We are in the process of sourcing some green mulch also. Thanks again for all your assistance.

3 acacias in that little bed two rampaging roys. They'll grow up through the acacias and look wonderful in years to come Jeeze with that combo you can just lay them out before planting and see what it all looks like anyway

Those Acacia cog look SO good
another one added to my UBER-MODERN native twist garden list

Folks never let native plants put a perception in your head that they are a rambling messy landscape. In fact it is only the poor ones that do that. A good desigener or yourself can create modern, cottage, formal or anything using native species. Most will be able to be clipped to perfection and of course the volume of flower will be truly unbelievable!

It is these applications of these plants that will get other people wanting them too and they will never end up like a McGarden because they offer more choice and selection, as well as methods and styles of growing them. Unlike boring flax and Cordyline McGardens with black composted mulch that are devoid of living things

With you on that one Fu.
Landscapers are trying to get me to do flax but its sooo over done!!

Love the mini cog & golden kangaroo paws Only natives im not a fan of are bottlebrush, unless they are pruned well.

your garden will look great Bluefairy, I cant wait!