Usually in a townhouse type building you cannot paint anything on the exterior since that does not belong to you . I have no idea what you mean by a water tank so I guess I need to know where you live too.

What kind of budget? Other than drying laundry how do you want to use the space- is it just a view or do you want to sit out there? What is the raised portion along the back,

I would NOT paint fencing white- it always discolors and makes a space look confined. I would do the opposite- I would paint it black so it recedes and plant plants in front of it. Or let it weather grey.

I agree not to paint it white.
I’d do a clear coat so it remains the pretty wood color it is now.

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Add some planters and maybe an outdoor loveseat or two chairs and side table.

It looks like you like a modern style, what about staining the retaining wall and fence a dark color instead of light? I think it’d be very striking.

Or wall black stain and fence darker reddish stain?

Can you screen the water tank with anything, or does it need to be open?

I’d put down pavers or something for a seating area, then have lush plantings above the wall.

If you’re set on white:

Sorry, it took me so long to post, I didn’t see any others first!

I’m guessing Jill is in the antipodes. Hence the think water tank.

I assume you can deal with the inside of your fence as you wish, most HOA’ s allow that. i would stain , not paint, if you want to change the color. i would do something like a driftwood color or some other softer, more natural look. it appears that a hardscape, rather than grass, is in order. i would plant ( or place in containers ), vertical growing shrubs that will look good year around in your climate.

Don't paint the fence, which will be a maintenance issue even if you are allowed to do it. The color of the fencing is fine - you just need a good landscaping plan. I would remove all the grass, which would be hard to maintain in such a small area. Then, think about how you want to use the space. If you're planning to use the clothesline, you need a hard surface as a walkway. You could use large pavers with ground cover between them, sized to add a couple of chairs if you wish. Plant taller shrubs in the planters so you block the neighbors house, with shorter shrubs and flowers around the base of the planters in back and on the sides.

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Jill, are you in NZ or Australia & the water tank is a rain water collection tank? I peeked at you idea book & love the inspiration pics you have. So many of those ideas will work in your space. I agree with suggestions given so far - no painted fence or artificial plants. There are so many tall, narrow grower or ”fastigate” type plants that would look great in the raised bed along your fence. An idea to replace grass & provide a surface to set furniture on is either a low growing walk-on ground cover or pavers - or a combo of both with a tight small ground cover between the pavers. I wouldn’t worry about hiding the ac unit - it will not be noticed with either a chair or a large pot filled with plants in front of it.

Thank-you all so much. Yes I am in New Zealand. - in Auckland - so warm and sunny with plenty of rain ( semi-tropical). The "thin tank" is a water reticulation tank required by council but I am on normal water supply. There are 4 townhouses in the block and everyone has one. I have attached a photo of how the plant system goes on it. and think herbs and flowers in it would be good. It is able to be painted and the planters come in different colours.I think paving it is what I want to do to create a nice flat surface for a couple of outdoor armchairs. I want to use the space an an outdoor lounge/relaxing area.

The raised portion at the back is a retaining wall and I can plant on top of it - was thinking of say a lemon and a lime or mandarin tree with some lavender or other in between. It gets plenty of sun and I would like to add some greenery to it.

What would you suggest on the wall behind the clothesline? It folds down and I would do that when not in use.

A retractable clothesline would be less egregious and you could then grow something against the fence. Maybe Kowhai? I know it’s a small tree but people grow them against walls here.

Try doing some native fruit trees as espalier on the fence.

https://www.houzz.com/photos/query/espaliered-fruit-tree/nqrwns/p/20?oq=espaliered%20fruit%20tree&redirectoq=espaliered%20fruit%20tree

@Jill Lynch The ”Thin Tank” is very cool! Have not seen anything like that. That would be an excellent water resource tool here in my rainy PNW part of the US to replace the clunky (usually) rain barrels we attach to house rain gutter downspouts to catch water for watering gardens.

@Jill Lynch I looked up the Thin Tank system - what a vision you can create on that wall filled with self watering pots of color & fragrant herbs!

See how the black recedes and lets the plants be the stars. They also layered on lattice over other things to unify surfaces. Gorgeous stone paving...

I have now decided to paint all the fence the same colour as the thin water tank to create a cohesive look. Then I will plant the lemon, lime, mandarin trees on the little stop bank. I have attached some more photos. Future plans are paving or tiling the ground and of course some nice pots and a couple of armchairs when funds permit.

I hope you can espalier the fruit trees.

I'd start by growing something on your back fence. You can add a trellis. Before espaliering a fruit tree, I'd make sure your planters are big enough for the roots. You can also do vine fruits or flowers on a trellis. Passionfruits (which I'm guessing you have the climate for) have both lovely flowers and fruits. Grapes are good, too. You can get kiwis with variegated foliage with a tinge of pink. Actinidia Kolomitka. They are very pretty, but you need a male for pollination.

Instead of paint for your fence, first give it a thorough cleaning, perhaps using no splash bleach applied with a microfiber mop head (think swiffer-like mop) while you're wearing disposable clothes -- something you don't mind getting spotted with bleach.

Then, when the wood fence it is fully dry, CWF or a dark semi transparent stain might be preferable to paint because anything that is painted will, inevitably, need to be repainted and can begin to look awful as it gets that way.

Would definitely NOT try hanging anything on any appliance or pipes or equipment of any kind in your back yard. Such items are usually needing to "breathe" so you don't want to block the air to them.

You might consider a folding screen or two to hide the larger black unit with pipes if you want hidden from view from the house ... and then, if you want to decorate that, consider lightweight pressed metal exterior wall sculpture rather than heavy pots for that screen. Three or four used wood bi-fold closet doors connected by hinges and painted in an exterior medium/dark green would be worth considering.

Don't block the ac unit at all. Instead, consider vertical blinds for your patio doors and/or windows and just don't open that part all the way so its' not visible from indoors.

You can add brackets for hanging flower pots or wind chimes and/or sun catchers or bird feeders or bird houses to the fence itself, one to each wood post of your fence or, add a single row of treated deck boards securely affixed to the fence and give yourself more options as to spacing what you decide to hang.

Beware of putting items against the fence or letting items grow onto the fence that would hold moisture against it and hasten its decline.

A solar light on a 4"x4"x6' post either in a weighted umbrella stand or wide holiday tree stand (or built to have four wood "feet" would be portable and could hold not only a solar light on top but brackets for hanging baskets as well -- just balance the weight ... same sized pot on opposite sides or all four sides of the post.

Good luck with your project. Do let us know how it turns out.

@suezbell lots of good tips. I did look up the OP’s Thin Tank water system & they do make planters specifically for them. I don’t know if this system is widely used in the US but I wasn’t familiar with it.

The white plastic pipes can be painted any colour with Krylon spray paint for plastic. Paint or spray paint the air conditioner unit the same colour as the dark wall behind it. Then you won't have to cover your window with curtains.

Is there any wood behind the retaining wall in addition to what is obvious above it? If so, can rainwater (and any watering of plants ) planted in the soil above /behind the retaining wall reach the wood? If so, you might consider options to resolve that.

In the planting area above/behind the retaining wall directly across from your patio door and visible year round when the window treatment you select is open, you should consider planting only something that can survive the weather extremes in your area and look good year round.

Otherwise, you might want to consider not planting directly in the soil above the retaining wall but add some small pebbles or gravel there or even pavers or cap blocks and then adding flower pots atop the wall. Using containers atop the wall means you have more options for your plants and still have them survive because you can bring them in during freezing weather. OR do some mix of the two. You could frame the space with a pair of bushes -- at least one on each side -- Aucuba bushes or the kind of Abelia bushes that keep their leaves year round or Holly bushes ... or whatever you like that works best in your planting zone that looks good year round ... and then consider planting containers for the spaces in between.

With bushes with space in between or the trees you're considering but space beneath or between them, you can have more of a year round green space look -- permanent and potted plants.

I would first remove the grass and do stamped concealer or pavers. Clear coat on fence to brighten, and paint flower box black add some real patio trees for interest, and add a little seating area or small dining outdoor table.

Black stained fence is what our landscaper designer suggested for our home.We have to wait till next year to do it though too wet now also hydragas incrediball would look amazing out there

Because your fence continues into your neighbor’s yard area, I would NOT paint it. I would, instead, perhaps paint the planter bottom part of it to match the color of your water tank and accessories. A dark gray. I would leave the upper fence area natural so there is not a color difference as the fence continues beyond your home. Then, plant the planter with tall plants, grasses, trees, etc. And use outdoor artwork to enhance the space, too. I wouldn’t do anything with the wall with the clothes line device. NOTHING artificial. That wall will not be viewed as directly if you do hang draperies to the right side of your window to obscure the air conditioner.