I know this posting was months ago,but I will give it a go. What would the soil be like in the area you are thinking of ? What is the aspect - n,s,e or w ? What area of Australia are in you, tropics, warm temperate etc ? If you want a low maintenance, flowering shrub, you can't really go past lilly pillyies. Lots of them to consider at your local nursery. You might want a line of them along the fence. You could underplant them with some cliveas, or mondo grass. These are all low maint plants. Tallish tree, you could consider Blueberry ash. You might have already finished the garden by now ! Regards

I aquired some bare-rooted Cliveas at a fete some years ago and planted them around the base of a big tree and ever since they haven't looked back. Mine are just the ordinary variety but your form looks very interesting.

oh, yes, I should report, we've been busy continuing the long haul cleaning out my late mother-in-laws place. She was quite a keen pot gardener once but most of her stuff died way back. Still a few things were hanging on.. good ol' fishbone fern and there's a few bulbs which I believe are cliveas. And another bulbous sort of thing which I suspect is leopard spot plant.. or at least that's what my mother calls it (I think) Out burying some scraps this morning there was a lovely big flower on my clematis, but the wind over the last days has knocked it about a lot, so no photo unfortunately. I am glad I got out before the bad weather to grab the few shots of some lovely blooms :o)

They are the seeds of the Clivea I would not eat them, but I do not know if they are edible, Hope this helps ...MM Here is a link that might be useful: Clivea Seeds