garden design

We are making a third attempt to establish a garden on our property. The first was stymied by drought then fire, and the second was brought to a halt by a fungal problem in the soil. This is it. This is my last attempt before i become demented.
We have a large area (5 acres) near a freeway, with a brillant view of a McDonalds and a KFC. The land is otherwise unremarkable aesthetically and I am, at the moment suffering two handicaps - lack of imagination and lack of talent as a designer. Does anyone know of a book they could recomend which walks you slowly through the processes of design and helps you analyse styles so that you have some confidence or at least understanding of what you are looking at. Most of the books I have come across which deal with designing gardens for a mediterranean climate are very heavy on the hard landscaping - the expensive paving and summerhouses - and we are trying to get to grips with a large rather blank canvas which crys out for mass plantings.
 
Help please.
Margaret Healey
Ballan, Near Ballarat
Australia
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