Some of the Boxwoods developed by Sheridan Nurseries in Ontario, Canada, are quite hardy and all have the word green in their name: âÂÂGreen GemâÂÂ, âÂÂGreen MoundâÂÂ, âÂÂGreen VelvetâÂÂ, and âÂÂGreen MountainâÂÂ. The first three are mounded and relatively slow-growing, and so they are useful for low hedges. âÂÂGreen MountainâÂÂ, is upright and pyramidal and grows as rapidly as English box. They seem to be susceptible to winter scald and windburn too. Burlapping them isn't enough to keep out wind - almost need to put a box over them, which wouldn't enhance the look of your front garden. The only problem I have (I've got Green Velvet) had with them is the growth is maddingly slow - the idea of a lush, grown together little hedge in a few years is kind of a pipe dream in the colder zones. Look at some of the dwarf spireas; Alpine spirea (S. japonica âÂÂNanaâÂÂ) is only 24 inches tall; the plant spreads to five feet in width though (but is easy to prune control). NanaâÂÂs flowers are pink/dusty rose, and the autumn foliage is often a very clear, bright red. But, the space doesn't look too large, so finding just the right thing that doesn't outgrow it and then some would be where I'd start on a trip to a nursery or garden center.

I might do two columns, both echoing the fluted door surround. Just butt one up against the house on the left so that there are two. It's a little weird but it might look less weird...? Not sure. I am dealing with a similar problem and may fix it by adding faux columns at the back of the porch to balance the ones on the front. I love the punch of a red door, especially with the brass. I would look for two large square planters in the same red and place one on either side of the entryway. They could be where the blue one is now, or up on the step, but they should match and they both need to be in the same location. You can go pretty big,too. The alternative, if you don't want to do a second column, is to get four planters, two that match and two that don't. I'd put a large one with tall plants along the wall where the second column might go. That will help balance the space. Then put another pot to the side of it. In front put one of the two matching pots and place the other one on the opposite side of the walkway. That way, you have the two matching/balancing pots on either side, with taller/filler pots behind where you need the height. (Did that make any sense? :-) I had a wrought iron bench on my front porch and it filled the space in a pleasing way in addition to providing a landing place for people and packages. I think that would look nice there. Keep your eye out for a more distinctive lantern, perhaps in brass. What you have now is fine, but maybe you could find something that is a bit unexpected. Same with the door knocker. Nothing wrong with it, it's just kind of predictable. Something clever that you feel a connection with would be interesting....like a brass sunflower or something. I wouldn't get too cutesie, just find something interesting. Check out eBay for a dizzying selection. All in all, the house and entry are quite pretty. Welcome to the board!

" I don't think I've ever seen any pollinators on any tiny Boxwood flowers. " Then you haven't been lookng very carefully. When in bloom, boxwood literally vibrates with pollinator activity. And "boring" is just an opinion and is neither here nor there. Many do not care to live in a messy, native plant-jumbled landscape or are restricted by housing covenants as to what they can plant. And if you have a lawn or do much local produce shopping at the grocery store then you are just as guilty in supporting non-native plant species as anyone else posting here. In fact, if you restricted yourself to eating only native species of plants or animals, you would likely starve to death....or at the very least suffer from malnutrition. btw, there is a strong science-based movement that contends including non-native, non-invasive species actually improves biodiversity and therefore adds to the ecology rather than detracts. Gardening is one of the few pastimes that virtually anyone can enjoy regardless of age and that puts us in direct contact with nature. To politicize it in such a manner is doing no one any favors and is cerainly not helping your "cause", as misguided as it may be.

@houssaon Thanks for the suggestion. I have considered a redbud, as we are on the edge of hardiness but have a MN strain that works here. I like the look of them but i think it gets a bit too wide for that space, especially given that I have a stone path cutting through the bed (which I had neglected to mention or show in the pics). So I’m thinking I need something more upright with good ground clearance on that corner. @emmarene9 you‘re right in that the foundation area isn’t that large. 7.5’ at its narrowest and a little over 11’ on the corner. Other side is about 6’ x 8’. (provided a couple more pics). I was thinking all the plants would be dwarf versions of what I mentioned. like little lime hydrangeas and golden ruby or admiration barberry. think that would be too tight? @Yardvaark Thanks a bunch. That looks nice. hadn‘t considered placing a the larger tree out in the yard on a right. But definitely seems to add some balance. that plant under the window is already gone. It was a gold barberry that had a lot of dead areas. Think the mass of small hydrangeas would work there instead? What are your thoughts on narrow evergreens on either side of the door? Does it bring in too formal of an element that doesn’t match with everything else? Added a mock up of what I was thinking.