After an extensive renovation of the house, our clients in North Bondi needed new planting to match. The brief was very tricky: green and tropical-ish, but with a northerly, very exposed position and inflatable-friendly plants (no sharp edges!). We know from a property on the same street that Tiger Grass (Thysanolaena maxima) would do well here (and Bamboo was a pet hate), so we brought in rich compost to enable this. The challenge was then to create an environment where other less needy but full-sun tolerant plants would survive. The rear bed against the fence is only 400mm wide so ongoing maintenance will be needed to keep access to the back of the pool and stop the bed getting too overgrown. The newly painted fence really helps the greens pop. At the front of the house was a patch of sand which we brought to life with new soil and a host of good-old shade-tolerant and tough Aspidistra elatior.