In my humble opinion I think leaving the rail off would be good because if you plan on making the whole front area a garden I would make walkways through out the gardens this way if your working out there this would make it easier to get around.
I'd have the walkway come right off the center of the porch then have it winding around.
BTW, What type of plants are you going to put in that area?

First impression......put it back........it balances the deep roof overhang and the other wing. And a porch is always nice! And it could be a "backdrop" for a garden. And...you already have it!

Off, it looks more open & airy without it.

As for the lighting, I'd go with lights that highlight a special plant or area, maybe that vitex on the far left (I think it's a vitex) or ones that point down istead of up at the walls but not those soldier walkway lights that get all lined up in 2 straight rows.

I like the rail in place better.

Red, I took the old rail down several years ago & got rid of it. It was in bad shape too. If I put it back, I thought I'd go with spindles that match the turned posts. So far you all seem to be split.

Oh, & I'm putting asian jasmine in the level area right in front of the porch. There is a walk area in front of it between it & the front garden area. You can kind of see it here. Our front yard slopes to the left & I leveled the area where I am growing Asian Jasmine.

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I like the rail better off, just more pleasing to my eye. I also agree with New in Texas...lights that shine down into the new bed to spotlight a specific plant. All of this is just my opinion, of course ;-)

Pam

Ok, if it was me making the decision, I would leave the rail off, and place wall mounted lights between the windows along the left front of the house, to balance the outdoor lighting.

The way it appears in the pictures NOW - I'd go with replacing the rail as it looks empty and off balance.

If you put in a nice showy border, you are not going to see the rail anyway in a few years, so why bother. Maybe a tree at the far corner to balance the height of the other side.

Roxann

I will cast my vote - leave the rail off and the lights look fine the way they are.

Wow - this isn't helping is it?

I like the rail - but will it be obscured by plantings and trees?

Aesthetically, I like the looks of the railing. But if that were my porch, I would want to be able to walk off it and enter the flowerbeds anywhere along the way. So there you have it, I could go either way! :-)

Carla in Rowlett

It looked naked without the rails, but the rails weren't enough. I think you need to beef up that area a bit and put larger columns in - 2 or 3 should be enough. Then if you want the rail in between the columns, go ahead and put them in, but make sure they are to scale with the columns. In other words, I wouldn't put skinny rails inbetween larger columns. It wouldn't look balanced. I think it would bring out that part of the house to balance with the front section. It would balance things out with the shutters on the front.

I too like the railing...if you want it to be totally visable that would limit your choices for plants but you could put to taller things more to the left and it not obscure the entire railing.
As far as the lighting - I would probably put a few lights on the left also - but more the "dome type" (for lack of better words) than the uplights on the right side.

I like the railing best too.

I think it looks more decorative and balanced with the railing on. Plus, it lends the house more character. You could always put PART of the railing up, like make a small walkway in the middle of each section, if accessibility was your concern. You might also consider putting up more columns, or putting some trim along the roof or a lower rail. I would add a little bit of lighting, but maybe just a light over the porch.

The rail could also serve as a support, if you ever wanted to put vines or a similar trailing plant in that bed. Or, hang baskets off it. I think your options will be greater with the rail. But then, I'm a sucker for old Victorian stuff.

If you decide to leave the railing off, it might help to beef up the columns to help balance the rest of the house.

I would not add more columns that would block the view. I would add to the exciting columns though, just by taking plywood and decorative trimming on top and bottom would add more appeal to the house.

I don't know what you have planted right now but the area needs plants with more height. What plants come to my mind are salvias, cone flowers, daylilies, Cosmos, I would not plant them in a row.
One way to get ideas is to visit the cottage garden forum gallery.

I took my railing off and added pot plants, porch furniture and hanging baskets. I get a lot of compliments. I think that would help the empty look. shirley

I'd put the rails back on. I think it adds character, then I'd add some hanging baskets.

I like the rails on.

You may regret that asiatic jasmine.

Janie

You need the railings for balance and interest. taterbug

Since a railing is used at the edge of a raised surface and your porch isn't raised, what you had was more of a fence. I don't think your house style calls for it, though I do agree that the columns look undersized and that side of the house needs something to visually balance the other end.

Replacing the columns with heftier ones, planting a variety of things along the edge of the porch that will get a foot or two high, and putting some chairs (or other items) on the porch might do the trick.

The windows on the right (in the brick area) need to match the porch windows. So, either put shutters on the windows on the porch to match the other ones or take the shutters off of the windows in the brick area. Doing one or the other would help balance the front. I agree that the columns need to be "beefed up" (they look really small compared to what they are holding up). For a "railing" you could put in plants that get only 3-4 feet tall in front of the porch. You have a great looking place. Carla in Leander.