Bronan, Love the black trim around the window and door. I also think you have a nice start with the urns. Would you consider painting those black? You can also add striped hostas in around the base of the little trees. It will make them more prominent and hostas work well in formal spaces. They will be happy to share urn space until the tree gets too big but then you get a bigger urn anyway. I think the added greenery with the white stripes on the leaves will be beautiful with your house colors. Check with the garden nursery near you as some hostas are shade only and others can take some sun. They might suggest something even better... I don't know your budget but I would also suggest brick between the stone squares so guests don't have to leap frog to the porch :-) Good luck. I think you will have a nice space.

I think the most impact would come from a well placed, well sized Acer. You can get them grown fairly tall already, Tamata have them and I'm sure there are other places. I'd get one that grows to no more than 3 metres (although check this against your property as scale is hard to gauge from photo), and has changing colours of leaves/bark. I'd place it towards the left of the property, looking at it. That will give some balance to the windows, provide some privacy but not obscure light. It wouldn't be a cheap option but cheaper than painting the house, and would need almost no aftercare. Then some easy care phormiums in the border underneath the windows. Both phormiums and acers come in a range of colours- limes, bronze, purples, oranges, dark reds etc, so choose what you like. The acers are soft and provide movement and variety, the phormiums sharp and provide solid consistent structure. This echoes the plants that can be seen already behind and at the side of the house and should make the hour 'sit within' its environment instead of bing perched on top of it. Also, the edge of the driveway- I would dig a border to just beyond the seam of the gate, lay down a weed mat, and put some stones in there. The garden centre has a range of them, in several colours from white through green red greys and blacks. If you chose reddish (or reddish and lime/orange) tones for your acer/phormiums, I would prob buy a large specimen plant in a pot for the top of the driveway, at the eight hand side of the garage, to link the colours. And maybe paint the front door and have some pot plants there that tone in too, especially in the area near the path that can be seen from the street. For a cleaner line I'd consider painting the lower part of the decking (the vertical frontage) to tone in with your house.

Any recommendations for a landscaper in Tauranga? Need some paving path edging etc done

In need of some help and advice, we are just starting to build our house. As the garden planning has already started, I am wondering what the best timber would be ideal to use for lawn edging? Any ideas, on tips would be most welcome Thanks in advance Andy