Sorry forgot to add pic of

concentrate on easy plants for your area and that depends on your climate and research some photos of "tropical gardens" for photos of what you like and the local nursey will be able to offer suitable plants

I have been researching screening plants for myself and found this through a very helpful Queensland company, non invasive and grow like a single tree

https://www.bamboodownunder.com.au/gracilis-bamboo

If you are worried about invasive roots you might want to get rid of the magnolia in your front lawn. These little gem magnolia's might be dwarves for their genus but their genus is a massive tree way too large for a suburban yard at maturity. A lot of people don't realise how large they will get because they are slow growing.

The tropical garden look is all about large sized leaves and vivid colour. So a mix of coloured leaf plants and greenery with over sized leaves works best.

A rhapis palm is a good screening palm as well as having architectural appeal since it's globular in shape. Looks best in a feature pot and one each side of your portico would look great.

For hedging I can't urge you NOT to use bamboo enough. I purchased a house where a bamboo has been hedged on 2 sides. I hate it for these reasons.

• The particular variety I have cannot be clipped to keep it at a specific height. The entire thing keeps growing skyward until it set seeds and then dies back. Giving me a hedge that looks okay for around 6 months of the year and looks like dead grass for the other 6 months.
• Clumping bamboos are NOT non invasive. They will take over your yard. They just do it by the clumps getting larger over time and spreading outwards in concentric fashion instead of sending out runners linearly.
• They are high maintenance if you want them to look lush. You have to get into the clump and constantly cut out the dying culms otherwise you get a yellowed and dead looking section in your hedge.
• They are extremely messy constantly dropping leaves. I've tried mulching the continual fall but the leaves actually clog a mulcher and can't be recycled easily.
• Getting rid of a clump is nigh on impossible once established. I tried digging one of mine out. The rhizomes are like concrete and cannot be easily broken up with any kind of tool. I would need to hire a bobcat and dig them out to get rid of them.
• They have to actually be tied up into clumps with string, otherwise they fall over and look like weeds.

The rhapis palm above is very bamboo like but unlike bamboo it isn't a grass so it will grow perennially without the massive die off of bamboo for many years to come. Most people don't realise that because bamboo is a grass it's lifecycle is very short. Each culm will live only 1-2yrs then die. The clump renews itself by sending up new shoots which results in an ever increasing clump size and a lot of dead poles in the clump. Bamboo is wonderful stuff in a plantation where the culms are continually harvested and clumps thinned out. They are a massive amount of work in a garden though.

The specific Bamboo I suggested is non intrusive and a friend has had this in their garden for many years. These are single trunk Bamboos and tree like. Top garden landscapers will use and recommend this.

Please don't use the Bamboos that have traditionally been used in Australia.

Having lived in Asian countries where exotic Bamboos are used in small spaces is testament to how this Plant performs

Good old Elephant Ears in both colours are excellent non expensive plants as against Palms which are expensive and very slow growing.

This Bamboo is not inexpensive around $65 per 200 pot. but as OKL suggested consult with your local nursery for what is best suited to your area

seems strange that Black Bamboo doesn't like bamboo?? ...ive had a lovely bamboo in a pot for about 20 years and a black stemmed variety in the ground for longer but easily managed in my cold climate but there are so many varieties of bamboo as long as you choose the species that suits your situation but there will plenty of plants for your garden.. check with local nursery for advice to suit your specific situation

I do like it, just not in my garden.

Oh wow, i'll definitely give Raphis Palm a go. Love the look of it. Coincidentally, I was thinking of Bamboo to go along the side of my house to the backyard. An inspiration from Bali haha I didnt however realise all the work that goes into maintaining it . Though I love the look of it and the privacy that it'll provide if the block next to mine decide to build a double story (fingers crossed they dont). Appreciate all your suggestions. Thank you :)

The Bamboo Bambusa is very low maintenance, you can decided to hedge or not to hedge ( trim the top) and that's it. good luck with your new garden, love to see photos later

I would've never thought of that @User I live in a newly developed estate (in Brisbane) where all the houses/landscape are similar so I wouldnt at all mind being the stand out house with that suggestion. I love it and will definitely look into incorporating that with my tropical plants of course. Thank you

For a beautiful tropical look try golden cane palms, these have a non invasive root system, keep moist and plant in well drained soil, Xanadu is a fabulous plant as an underplant to the golden cane palms for a lush look, viburnum is a great hedge plant, you have the perfect spot for a modern water feature to compliment your lovely house.