It appears you have an Eastern Location (morning sun):

Bulletproof Shrubs:
Spirea
Dwarf Conifers
Hibiscus syriacus
Acacia
Artemesia
Buddleia davidii
Callistemon
Caryopteris clandonensis
Ceanothus
Cistus
Cotinus coggygria
Cotoneaster
Cytisus
Juniperus
Lavandula
Nandina domestica
Rosa rugosa
Rosmarinus officinalis
Salvia
Santolina chamaecyparissus

Pick and pull:)

Dax

To increase the chances of success (even with the bulletproof shrubs) you might want to consider planting further from the house wall. The proximity of the wall, and the overhang, keep a lot of the rain from landing on this kind of bed.

The rhody and azalea that are there now (or were there) are probably suffering from lack of water and too much alkalinity leaching from the foundation and the walkway. They are really understory shrubs and are not appropriate for a narrow foundation bed.

Soil prep in this kind of narrow area is also really important if you want the plants to thrive - this is as important as picking the right plants. You will also want to invest in a soaker hose and possibly a timer; if these plants are actually dying, it is very likely that they didn't receive enough water while they were getting established.

It would be dificult to plant anything between the path and the house that has any height, without making the path impassable. But, because of the strong horizontal lines of the house, and the different siding above and below the overhang, something taller than the overhang at some point along the front might help unify the facade. So, I'd suggest putting in a bed beyond the path for anything taller than about 3'. I'm not a designer (that may be quite obvious!) but that's what I'd consider if this were my house.

Before you start shopping or digging, I'd get to the library and borrow some design books - there are some great new ones that address front yard gardens. Even though your time is limited, the time you spend reading and looking at designs will be well spent - and will save you lots of time in the long run.

If you're near Swarthmore, take a look at the Scott Arboretum there. Their specialty is showing how plants will look in the home garden, and they have some outstanding people who might be able to answer questions and make suggestions. You really want to grow something that you like, since you'll be looking at it for a long time!

You definitely need to bring plantings out from under the overhang and into what is now the lawn areas. You don't show enough of the lawn to let us see where a small ornamental tree might be placed, but you need at least one to anchor the house and the new beds.

The suggestion of looking at design books and arboretum plantings is a good one. If you really want to get this right, it's worth finding someone who will create a design for you that you can install yourself as you have the money and time.

Thanks for the advise. I do plan to move anything new out a bit more so any rain will hit them. The overhang is not as covered as it seems so I think that will do the trick

Everything beyond the picture is just grass then the street.