You just need some bulk; not bitty things in dibs and dabs running in a line along the foundation. I'm guessing most of Michigan is in Zone 5, unless you're in the UP which drops to Zone 4 and 3 in some spots. I'm in Zone 4 and the ever popular "winter interest" is generally buried under a few feet of snow; so I leave winter interest for those in warmer climes. And if you're limited to the already established planting beds, you want to be aware of how big shrubs and trees can eventually get. You don't want to plant a conifer or potentially large tree 3 feet from your foundation. What I would do is just add some heft. Tulips are great in mass plantings rather than lined up. I'd move what you have to make one or two larger drifts... or simply buy and plant some more when they come into the stores in the early Fall. I see some lilies starting to poke up on the south side among the tulips, so digging without destroying will make the going a little slower. Also, planting your peppers and basil will help to hide the tulip and lily foliage once it starts to die back. Some things are just tried and true - hostas are great plants; they come in a variety of shades of green and "blue", some are mounding, some are uprights and in the cooler zones can take a lot of sun. All around no care plant to fill up space. Sedums are good clumpers with long lasting flower heads. Sedums look good with hostas. Walker's Low Nepeta is a real nice plant; mine blooms from early summer until the first killing frost. Nepeta looks good with hostas and sedums. Perhaps spireas have been done to death, but Anthony Waterer is a winner that doesn't get overly large is easy to keep in bounds and has dusty rose flowers which compliments the dusty rose flower heads on some of the sedums. A tour through a good garden center with a little notebook to write down plant names, mature heights, widths, light and water requirements etc. would be the best first step. I could never tell anyone where to put what - I have to be physically in a space moving things around in their pots until the arrangement looks right.

Hello stompoutbermuda, This is really quite a coincidence as I rarely visit the landscaping forum, but just happened upon it a couple of days ago. From what I can see of the mountain range in your pics, and I could be wrong, but it appears as though we are practically neighbors. :-) If so, I live in the neighboring town maybe 7 or so miles east of your location. I agree with the poster who said you've got a 'diamond in the rough' there. I'm in my 50's and have lived in this area for nearly 40 years, and have seen many a beautiful desert oasis built in the area where it appears you are. :-) Not being a fan of snakes either, lol, I feel safe to say that in the many years I've spent in the high desert, and many hikes out in the desert, I have seen rattlesnakes as many times, or less, than I can count on one hand. They are shy creatures, not aggressive, and while dangerous, they are an important part of the desert community. We would be overrun with rodents otherwise. And I also agree with the poster who said king snakes, roadrunners and hawks are natural predators who help to keep the rattlers at bay. I'm afraid it's a waste of money, effort and time to try to create a snake proof fence. Your best bet is to accept that they are a part of the community - walk with loud but cautionary steps around hiding areas where they may be, and carry a long stick with you if you need to poke around in an area which may be a hiding place for them. If I may offer a few suggestions, for what they are worth...? :-) Line your fence line with oleanders and cypress. Both are drought and wind resistant, are green all year round, and the oleanders offer beautiful and colorful blooms this time of year. Yes, oleanders are poisonous, but one would have to actually consume many leaves, or breathe the fumes of burning plants to be in danger. Many, many homeowners in this area have oleanders on their fence line for a windbreak, and I have yet to hear of anyone becoming sick as a result of them. I've raised two children here in the high desert and now have several grandchildren enjoying the slow pace and beautiful sunsets over the Sierras. :-) As far as gardening, there is no reason why you can't realize your dream of having a productive garden. I say this as I just went outside and picked several ripe and juicy tomatoes from my plants. I visit gardenweb often and lurk, but I believe this is my first post as it pertains to something I actually know a little something about. LOL. Enjoy your new home, you really do have a diamond in the rough. It sounds like you have some great ideas to create your little oasis. Please pardon me if I have sounded presumptuous. Sincerely, satura

Nice you don't have to use that stuff there.me too.And, I always think every plants is ugly as long as it don't match it's master;a plant is beautiful just it match. Before any suggests,I should know where is your landscaping?how long time sun light?or where the landscaping face?any drain or irrigation problem? A panoramic shot is good.how post a photo here?first upload photo to any photo-hosting site.Photobucket and Flickr are examples . While at that photo on the site, look for a link to "share." Then look for a way of obtaining "html code" (don't select the thumbnail version.) Copy that code and paste it directly into your message here.

Screening trees: Arborvitae DeGroots is beautiful and less common than arborvitae Smaarg. Smaarg or Emerald green is what you are more likely to find at Big Boxes and garden centers. Except for Smaarg's overuse, it is a perfectly suitable tree for accent or screening. People who live where there's a heavy snow load are concerned about arborvitae's branches splaying. That can happen but there are ways of dealing with it. I have a "skyrocket" juniper that is lovely. Very narrow and the berries (blue) add texture. I struggle with design. Nevertheless, my thought on screening is to not ""make a point of it." A tall conifer and spreading deciduous or a columnar deciduous screen would be part of the your larger varied landscape plan. If you planted three of the same right in front of the blue house....to satisfy an immediate need for screening....It would just look like a lump of green. If you don't want to lose a season (or save $ this sale season), make a decision and put a servicable conifer or three there. (peraps Degroots....tall, compact,; chamy. gracilimas ( ferny wide) and???? Please do not plant them too close together or they'll shade out each other's branches and brown out. (the risks of monoculture is another reason not to plant many of the same plant. If one dies a newly planted one will look out of place for a while. If one gets a disease, they may all be affected) Avoid a straight line...stagger. If you carefully consider their ultimate size you'll also see why the proportions of your beds should be larger and wider. I honestly think once you have an interesting "front" to that fence and your attention and energy are engaged with planting you will barely notice the offending house. The house is far from ugly and has interesting architecture. Think of it as "visual noise" but it need not dictate all your plant choices . I concur with some others that the beds need bigger more graceful curves and should be considerably deeper. Have you tried using a hose for laying out? You haven't mentioned whether children might be using the space. If that's a possiblity it might be a factor to consider....I firmly believe kids and gardens can co-exist just fine. Touch football and soccer make another situation all together!