Alright, here's the problem. There is too much here and I know that during this glorious garden season not too many people are taking the time out to read through such a tome. What one or two things are you wanting to discuss?

Also, please don't rip out everything. That is a classic "newbie" error. Especially since you mention that you will be leaving in two years it is obvious that this will not be a work of love, but rather of practicality. You have some good things to work with, really. Keep them where they are or move them, but please don't chuck them unless they are dead.

I personally am too overwhelmed by this lengthy post to offer much more advice than to leave what you have and look for some good deals.

I think some creeping phlox or low growing juniper will look great cascading over the wall. I would consider some japanese holly for evergreen color in the front beds.

Patty

Well, I would have to agree that if you are moving in two years, you don't want to spend a lot of time or energy on a lot of landscaping. The new owner may not like what you did, and end up ripping it all out and starting over to suit their own taste.

That said, I think I'd like to see a small ornamental tree in the area about halfway between the lamp post and house to break up and disguise that large expanse of brick and change of siding material to the left of the big window. Maybe Amelanchier, something not too dense.

I'd also like to see something softening the edge of the retaining wall. Low growing Cotoneaster has interesting branch patterns and colorful berries in the fall and winter. Microbiota could cover that bank and provide year round color, or one of the low growing Junipers or other evergreens. That bank is your biggest problem, IMO.

Rhododendrons and Azaleas are nice, but once they finish blooming in spring, they will just be foliage. Adding in an Oakleaf Hydrangea for summer flowers and fall color might be nice off to the right side. Unless you go with a Meyer Lilac or a mildew resistant cultivar, you may end up with a mass of powdery mildew for the rest of the summer. Not very attractive.

Making the planting area near the house a little deeper to leave some space for a couple of clumps of perennials that bloom at different times of the season will give you some extra interest. Add them in masses, not just one or two, so that when they bloom, you actually can see them.

Thanks for the suggestions, I had been focusing on the foundation because of how horrible it looked over the winter, but the dirt sloping bank is pretty bad. I like the Amelianchier idea, or a similar small tree on that slope. I like the Cotoneaster too - I had focused on covering the bank down to the wall, but now realize that something going *over* the wall is a nice effect.

Sorry my original post is so long! I just sort of did a "brain dump" of all of my ideas. I guess what I need most are ideas for general form, like:

-- Should I be trying to cover the blank brick on the first story for aesthetics? The assymetry of that central window with the upper windows bothers me for some reason.

-- How do I transition foundation plantings to low-growing plants on the bank? Do I have a large shrub against the foundation to the left of the big window, then step down to something mid-height in front of it, then to the low-growing plants that will cover the bank?

-- Should I plant an "anchor" plant outside the right edge of the house and swing the mulched area around it?

-- Should I paint the deck rails and lattice white? (This is more design than landscaping)

-- What should I do with the steep slope to the *right* of the concrete steps by the lamppost -- make it grass and suffer mowing it, or plant it similarly to the bank across the steps?

Thanks for all your help everyone, I really appreciate your input.

A tree positioned to the left will partially obscure the blank wall. You're right about the windows, they are awkwardly arranged. I would just avoid doing anything to call too much attention to them.

I don't think you necessarily have to transition from a tall to a short plant, but you can if you want to. Leave a bit of space for the shrubs near the house to reach a mature size without touching the house.

I would add something large and rounded off the right end.

Painting the deck rails and lattice white will call attention to them, IMO, and add yet another element to an area that has a lot going on already, ie. two kinds of siding, the retaining wall, odd shaped windows, etc. If you can grow a climber up the lattice, even better.

I would continue whatever you use to cover the bank all the way across the steps. Mowing the slope is dangerous (I know someone who is missing toes from mowing a slope).

Thanks for the ideas, missing toes and all. I will definitely plant that slope with plants instead of grass. There are a lot of things going on in the front of the house, trying to unify things and disguise trouble spots are my main goals. I appreciate the input!

The tree idea is inspired. If positioned correctly it can really help disguise the awkward converging of the brick, the cinderblock, the siding, and the garage door when looking at the house from the street. Closer to the house, be careful not to plant something there that will draw the eye to that odd intersection. Draw the eye elsewhere and put in some good sized shrubs to sort of blur that area a bit.

A good sized shrub off the right corner is a good idea. Little Kim is sweet but not of the size and substance needed to really anchor and balance that side of the house. Perhaps leave the Little Kim in place and put a larger evergreen shrub to the right and behind it. A good sized holly perhaps.

Search this forum for Saypoint's posts; she often writes about balance and that is what is desperately needed here.

Just a note re. spring bulbs: Don't forget that the foliage will look really ragged if nothing else is coming up behind or around them. I never plant spring bulbs without planning out what will hide their dying foliage.

Patty

Great ideas, thanks! Can you be more specific about size & shape for the shrub to the right, so I can know what to look for? Am I looking for something comparable to the tree I"ll put on the bank (about as tall at maturity as the house? something wider at top than bottom?), or something shorter with a more rounded form (halfway as tall as the house?). Thanks for all of your help, I finally feel like I'm narrowing in on finalizing this!

Sorry, one more question. Under the large picture window I was planning to do 3 identical shrubs (azaleas), with a slightly larger rhodo next to them by the door and an even larger rhodo to the left of them by the garage. Should I not make the 3 shrubs below the window identical? Should I do 2 the same and 1 in the middle different? Or all 3 different? I know they say to repeat in 3s, but I don't know if that applies in this case. Thanks!

I think I'm still a little overwhelmed to address the whole thing, but on the spring bulb thing - imo, tulip foliage is the one (that I'm familiar with) that tends to look the most raggedy. Daffodil foliage tends to be a bit neater (again, imo!), and smaller bulbs like grape hyacinths or dwarf iris or crocus foliage tend to be very small and not messy at all.

That said, I did put my daffodils in the middle of my bed - but I've been struggling to find something that comes up late to hide the bare spots. Last year I planted balloon flowers there, since (oh, heck, or was it gas plant?) because it supposedly comes up late. My grape hyacinths are in the very front of the bed, and tend to get covered up by the lavender and asters later in the season. (But since this is all at my old house, it's not my problem anymore!)