Looking at your current plantings of the burning bushes near the foundation it appears that they are too close to the wall. I'm not a big fan of shrubs planted in a row like that, plus the red fall color just blends in with your red brick. If I were designing your frontyard I would go with the plan you mentioned of curving a bed from the left to the front entrance. I would narrow the curve down to the driveway and have it end at the curb. This bed along the driveway could be used for colorful annuals. You need one outstanding small ornamental specimen tree ( something with interesting leaf color and bloom to contrast the red brick, such as Cercis canadensis ( redbud ) 'Hearts of Gold' ) or one of the chartruese leaf colored Japanese maples. This of course depends on your exposure ( a very important factor not mentioned ) and how much sun/shade you get . Place it to the left, not too close to the foundation. Next would come the bones -evergreens that will look good year round. Just one or two nice ones will do ( globe arborvitae ( dwarf ), Densi japanese yew, holly or boxwood are good choices. Don't line them up like soldiers. I'd take the burning bushes out and mix them here and there in the design or use them for the back if you have too many. Always allow room for the tree/shrub to reach it's full size. This is a common mistake that new gardeners make. Once the background is in then comes the fun of selecting some favorite long blooming perennials for punches of color. Remember placement of plants are like a photo : tall in back, middle, front, so on. I hope this is helpful. Good luck with your first landscape. Here is a link that might be useful: Sweet Home and Garden Chicago

The first time I saw Tangerine lantana I was a passenger in a car. We were going south at Lithia Springs Road and Highway 60 in Brandon. There is a little grave yard right there. As lantana will, it was growing right at the corner in the sand and blazing heat. Such a color! The last of the bloom is a VERY deep red, red, orange-red. This must have been 30 years ago! I am dam near a native and had never ever seen that color! Just the usual orange and pink varieties. Next time, I saw it in landscape along with the gold lantana ringed around the base of palm trees. Taller tangerine in the center next to the palms with the sprawling gold on the outer ring. Very nice combo. Shortly after that it showed up in the big box stores. I am moving mine from too much shade to the hottest and grittiest part of the yard, just under the mailbox. I looked for a link but none of them do the color justice. Most shown are immature flowers. The color I am speaking of shows up at the end of the bloom cycle.

Thank you for your input, Imich! I was aware of the possibility of Adverse Possession, since I had been maintaining that piece of land for 17 years, and both prior owners of the property assumed it was my land, too. And I put a lot of plants over there, and she ended up with all the mature ones :( But I don't want to be a pain in the rear. And what done is done. In hindsight, I guess I would have asked her to allow me some of the land at the rear of the property and in return I would allow her the same amount at the front of the property----just to avoid the diagonal effect!!! My main concern now is using my property from the fence line over to the fullest, and I am certain she is going to tell me that I can't place certain things near her fence. So I want to remain within legal limits, BUT place things where I wish upon my own property.......but I will give her that foot that is technically mine. A concern I have right now.....I have a very large scrub pine that regularly loses large branches during storm. I am liable for fence damage from this tree, yes? Even though it existed for many years before the fence existed? In other news, not all my potted plants that were to go in front of the fence survived the winter.....I lost several ninebarks and an ornamental grass, and a few perennials; so I have less to work with. I did install three small rhodies from my pot ghetto in the shady area in front of the fence, and we planted our serbian spruce Christmas tree in a sunnier area in front of the fence. I gave the serbian spruce plenty of clearance from the fence. Teresa

Hi y'all, Tracy,Heidi,Annie,cAROL,Alana and Mr. Dan the man! I hate that some of you are feeling crudy,Oh the winter. I'm waiting and lurking to see if my ghoulish monster will say somthing about itself that would help me fill it's box. But as fate would have noone is saying a whole lot. I'm having a sicko weekend, I was driving home about 7:30 yesterday and just as I came around this huge lake I fell asleep at the wheel and and crashed into someones huge brick mail box and trashed their yard aaaand trashed out my beautiful van which I always try to park blocks away from everybody so I don't get any dings. WeLLLL I trashed the passenger side real good. I was ok but did I feel sick to my stomach. Can you imagine falling asleep at wheel in heavy trafic??? I was so lucky that no one got hurt. I will be sending my box on Monday To my ghoulish secret friend. Look for your box to reach you about Wednesday. HAHAHA everybody will be checking their mail,including me LOL LOts of hugs and smiles Carmen