Some of what you have their in the area along the house is utility space and so should be kept dry and clear of vegatation like maybe six feet from the house.

Remove the grass in that area .. maybe install gravel .. inexpensive pavers ect..

Good Day ..

An informal screen of shrubs planted far enough away from the house to allow easy access for maintenance and air circulation would help. You could add a few clumps of easy care perennials for a bit of color, but I think just hiding the mechanicals would be a big improvement.

Your page says you live in the US, which can mean anything from Miami to Minot, so plant suggestions are impossible.

Go to a local nursery (not a box store, the selection will be horrible) and tell them about your site conditions and the size of the area. They should be able to steer you toward plants that will do well and are readily available.

Oops, sorry I just saw the "6" which must be your zone.
Smokebush, landscape type roses, Spirea, Lilac, Weigela, Juniper, Dwarf Spruce, Dwarf Pine, possibly Pieris or Holly if the afternoon sun is not too blazing in that area.

You might even get a nursery person to help you choose and arrange the plants if you bring in a drawing of the area in question and choose a bed layout.

Just a couple of specimen plants could look really nice here and do the screening job you want. As a new gardener you don't want to lay in an entire shrub border/perennial bed to start with, although that would look nice enough here. Maybe you can group three nice sbrubs in such a way that they would block it all for your primary vantage point, or put two here, one there.

For plant placement, consider from what vantage point you want the utilities hidden, and then consider what kind of a mowing job you want to end up with.

To select plants you can also check out books at your local library or wander through the nursery reading plant tags. Size of shrubs can be controlled by pruning, but you've got lots of space there for something like a purple smokebush (great idea, love those) to stretch its legs.

Also keep in mind that it is getting to be a hot time of year to plant, it will be hard on the plants and they will need frequent watering. If you plant in early fall or next spring instead they will settle in more easily.

KarinL

I would edge the side of the house to incorporate the AC and all the meters, vents, drains etc. You could use poly edging, timbers, stamped concrete or whatever. After the edging is in you will need to weed barrier the area and plant your concealing shrubs, saypoint has listed several, Then you mulch with rock or other matterials.

Bottom line is you dont want to be picking grass and weeds out of this area forever and you dont want to deal with encroaching lawn because you didnt edge it.

Consider the watering requirements and the level of maintenance you are willing to do when you plan for plants. Good luck.

Thanks for all your help and advice.
I 'll post back pics of the finished product.

I don't recommend mulching with rocks. A search of this forum for rock mulch will give you lots to think about.

Wow, saypoint! I AM impressed. Not many people would come up with "Minot"! I guess North Dakota is not so obscure after all.

I once dated a guy who spent a couple of years at the Air Force Base there. He used to wear a shirt that said "Where in the hell is Minot?" He must have liked the weather because he lives in VT now.