Thanks for the replies! My wife suggested we talk to a local real estate agent, so i think that is a good idea... just that Im not sure how helpful they are likely to be if we arent selling yet :) As for saving for our dream house, I dont disagree, however if doing this up nicely over the next ~5 years or so while we live here nets us some extra in the eventual sale, then that of course will help us as well. Interesting thing happened today actually. I got a knock on the door and one of the older neighbours asked if he could take some lemons from the tree. I of course said yes. Anyway he was telling me he had lived in the street for 40 years. I asked him if the house had always looked like this, and he said no that ~30 years ago the old old owner did a massive renovation and pulled off the timber and put up the bricks and gutted the inside of the house. Interesting stuff!

Looks like the palm tree look is working so I would blend that with some succulents maybe agave which can grow large and make great statement plants. Also stick with the stones.

Go to Houzz PHOTOS. Enter "Exteriorscapes Llc" in the search box. There is a wood fence with pickets like yours that has been painted in bright colors as one option...

I am planning on taking the fence down so you can see the front of the house (which is brick) and will plaster the entire exterior walls (except the front brick wall). Hoping to add a bit of street appeal to the place... But wondering how to add some interest to the driveway/entrance side? I am thinking it will be a pretty boring side view (as there are no eaves on the sides).. By the way, i will be taking down all the creeper and the weird steel structure at the front and having the front yard as a small tidy garden/courtyard with... Keen to hear any suggestions please!