but I think the whole thing looks neglected and plain I agree with you that it looks neglected. It is neglected! Wherever it happens that shrubs grow up into trees, the look is usually that of neglect. Fortunately, it's readily remedied. On another subject, what's your general impression of the attractiveness of the girl in this picture?: When you look through the hair, she actually is an attractive girl. But this impression only comes with study, not immediate perception. I see your house in the same situation. The front is so covered up, that the house is the smaller factor in the "curb appeal" of this property. For a minute, imagine that all houses in the neighborhood are gone. Here is berm covered in juniper with birch trees growing out of it. Is it ugly? I find the combination not only attractive, but fairly powerful. How does it stack up compared to the neighbor's 3 pansies at the mailbox? If one ran into this in the middle of a wheat field, I think it would be seen as something special. With some tidying up, it could work in the burbs. And that's where I'd start. Before I'd take a chance on making things worse by adding other plants with the possibility of junking it up, I'd clean up what you have and re-evaluate it... with a good chance of killing two birds with one stone. You want to keep the same amount of privacy, but unless you get rid of the bushes growing up into other larger bushes (yes, you're not growing the birches as trees; you're growing them as giant bushes) you will be unable to get rid of the neglectful look. There must be distinct separation between the two. Select a horizontal line somewhere within the roof level. It can be high up near the ridge or low at the eave, but it must be carpenter-level level. Remove ALL birch limbs and foliage at that imaginary line and below. The birch trunks should be clear of branches or stubs. (Don't de-shag the bark.) This will have an added benefit of giving the junipers more light and allowing them to grow better. (I'm surprised they're doing as well as they are.) The junipers could be modestly and evenly trimmed, if desired, but overall, to get the privacy back, you need to let them grow higher. The landscape is dynamic. You have to envision where you want things to "go" and then help them along in that direction. On the backside of the berm, I rather like Adrienne's dry stream idea. I'd consider also doing the "water" out of very low groundcover with some very large boulders. This whole thing could be quite stunning and absolutely the lowest maintenance ever. With better pictures, and after a clean-up, it's possible that there could be some plants added for more pizzazz.

try the conifer forum for the juniper issue and the perennial forum for the CB issue .. this is the bug and disease forum ... ken

From right showing more gravel. On the right is a concrete well cover with two panicle hydrangeas (Hydrangea paniculata 'Grandiflora') on the sides and a japanese maple (Acer palmatum) further behind it. Next to the lamp post I'm planning to add a multi-stemmed tree. Looking from the entrance to the site the best position would be in front the lamp, but because of the driveway it needs to be place to the right of it from this angle. From between the house and garage Looking towards the sauna

Wow! Looks fabulous! Yours are much more mature than mine. I have never had azalea runners! Exciting! Free plants! I can be crazy cheap sometimes (but I can also spend, so it isn’t consistent), and I tend to buy very small starter azaleas. They sometimes take so long to reach full size here (I usually keep them in the shade). Mine are cute, small little bloom machines though! Love my little coral bells. :-) I started using them in bouquets recently. Do you ever cut yours? I am liking azaleas as cut flowers! I may need to try this with my rhodies too!