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I welcome any advice and tips on what to do with this garden bed.
We want to pull everything out and plant something to cover the awful fence and to brighten up the area.
Thanks
That space has a lot of potential once it’s cleared out. If your main goal is to hide the fence and bring colour back in, I’d start by painting the fence black. It’s a simple change that makes greenery stand out, gives the garden a more modern feel, and stops the eye from focusing on the palings.
From there, I’d look at layering the planting so it feels lush and full. At the back, you could run fast-growing climbers like star jasmine or native hardenbergia along a discreet trellis to quickly cover the fence. If you’d rather something more permanent, clumping bamboo or a mock orange (murraya) hedge would give you year-round screening.
Through the middle, I’d add some shrubs with contrasting foliage and form — hibiscus, bird of paradise and cordylines work beautifully, and you could even drop in a coloured foliage native like lilly pilly “Cherry Surprise” to break it up.
Along the front edge, I’d keep it cheerful and low with seasonal colour. Geraniums, salvias or dwarf agapanthus would soften the line of the driveway and bring brightness right to the edge. If you’d prefer something more low-maintenance, natives like grevillea or kangaroo paw are great choices and will also bring in birds.
To finish it off and give the bed some personality, I’d place a feature bird bath in the centre. It adds a focal point, attracts wildlife, and creates a bit of movement and charm in what could otherwise just be a row of plants.
If it were mine, I’d do exactly that, black fence, climber screen at the back, cordylines and bird of paradise through the middle, a bright flowering border along the front, and a bird bath as a simple centrepiece. You’d end up with full coverage, layers of colour and texture, and a much more inviting outlook every time you pull into the drive.
Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community, @Emily11. It's amazing to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about garden beds.
You’ve got a great blank canvas to work with there. I can see @Remarka6le has already suggested painting the fence and using climbers, which is a fantastic idea, so I’ll take a slightly different angle. If you’re pulling everything out, think first about whether you’d prefer a neat, structured look or something softer and more naturalistic. For a structured look, a row of screening plants like viburnum, pittosporum or photinia will give you quick coverage of the fence and stay dense if trimmed a couple of times a year. If you’d prefer a more relaxed feel, you could mix in a few small trees or taller shrubs, like crepe myrtle or callistemon, which provide both screening and seasonal colour.
To brighten the area and make it feel more welcoming, consider underplanting with a mix of textures and heights. Grasses such as lomandra or dianella paired with flowering perennials like salvia or echinacea will add colour and movement without being too high-maintenance. A layer of mulch will also tidy the garden bed instantly and help with weed control. Before planting, it’s worth improving the soil with compost or manure, especially if it’s compacted or dry, so that whatever you choose will establish faster and thrive.
Since you’re in Melbourne, a few combinations that work particularly well include viburnum ‘Emerald Lustre’ at the back with salvia and dwarf agapanthus in front for a mix of evergreen structure and colour; a native option of callistemon or lilly pilly for screening underplanted with lomandra and kangaroo paw for flowers and texture; or a seasonal mix of crepe myrtle for summer blooms paired with echinacea and salvias along the border, with dianella or carex grasses to soften the edges. This way, you’ll end up with coverage for the fence, a vibrant mix of colours, and an inviting outlook whenever you step outside.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Mitchell
Let me also extend a very warm welcome to the community @Emily11. We're looking forward to seeing how you can improve your home and garden.
I would also start by painting the fence a dark colour (Monument and Domino are very popular) to make the greenery stand out and help extend the life of your fence. Our collection of 10 easy fence makeovers should give you inspiration.
I would also encourage you to check out one of the most popular projects on our site - Training climbers to screen a fence by @royq. It has inspired many members and I think it could be a great solution for you in addition to some of the planting suggestions that Mitch shared.
All the best,
Jason
