What kind of shrub is that ball? If it's a yew it can be cut way back to a more pleasing shape and it will renew itself.
I think your lovely Japanese maple has been badly trimmed...it appears to have been sheared...it needs artful shaping so it looks graceful and not like a blob.
Allow the hedge to grow so it is as tall as the brick base of the columns. and plant something...hosta is easy, in the mulched bed and make a bed on the other side of the walk too.
The wall is lovely leave it.
and I gurss you have likely been told that your shutters are way too small for the window size. I would remove all but the ones by the door.
A window box under the long window will help a lot...but carefully consider what you plant as it will have to be watered and won't get much sun.
Wait until the maple loses it's leaves, so you can see the "bones'. I think that well trimmed and allowed to drape a little more over the wall and just a bit over the sidewalk and shorter, you will like it a lot better.
Linda C

The rear plant appears to be a Wodward Globe Arborvitae. The root ball is actually a relatively easy removal despite its size. I suggest that you try to dig it out and get the roots out of the way. I think you'll find it much easier than you'd expect on that plant.

I also think that the maple is well worth keeping if you prune it correctly. Crawl under it and start by cutting out all the dead twigs back to the branches that they start from. Clean it out like a tent on the inside. It will work very well aesthetically if you can keep it broad and somewhat low and the foliage thinned much like a veil (from pruning from the inside out). The reasoning is that anything else you put there will accentuate the line of the wall, the line of the driveway edge, and the line of the column. The form of the maple really will break that up if you can resist the temptation of flattening the driveway side.

Overall, you have a visually negative situation in my opinion because the planting is loaded at the middle of the house and light everywhere else. Your instinct is the remove that, but you may do much better by adding elsewhere to change tha visual balance. The steps are a strong element that are not going anywhere, so the weight will remain with or without those plants.

The yew hedge does a great job of tying your house to the landscape and creating a great backdrop for other plants to pop of that dark background rather than standing in front of the void of your slab porch.

I'd like to see a low colorful planting sweep from your driveway around your walk and across the front of the yews. Then you could sweep it out starting about 2/3 the way across the face of the house and around the right end of the house using larger shrubs to mitigate the bulk of the planting on the right side of the walk by adding more bulk on the left end of the house. This will recess the middle of the house and make the door feel more inviting and make the driveway and garages much more insignificant despite them being in plain view. You have to draw the attention to the void between the two bulky ends of the plantings instead of the void of the garage and driveway. It works very well (you see it all of the time and don't notice it - look for it).

Thin the maple and you'll love it. Don't be scared if there is more maple on the ground than on the tree. They grow back very fast.

Linda- thank you very much!
I will leave the wall. I love those old big rocks. I love hostas too but get lots, LOTS, of afternoon blazing hot sun in the summer. I will have to figure out plants for the area you mentioned. I always did want to add more flower beds.
I haven't ever heard before that our shutters are too small. I hired a designer and she said nothing about them. They are 15 inches wide and anything more would be custom. I can't afford custom so we would probably build our own panel style shutters (hubby's very handy). How many more inches wide do you think? That would hatbe next year as we are spreading ourselves too thin.
Actually the disigner suggested removing the shutters from the front door and adding really thick chunky moulding around the door, getting rid of the triangular pediment and builting some height with classic moulding. Our new door has 2 panels and 3 windows up top.-Thanks agian

Laag-so you don't think it's a bad idea to get rid of the ball? I agree that I need plants near that hedge and even a tree on that side of the yard. If the hedge is the backdrop then you mean I should add plants in front of it right? I was wondering if growing some tall grasses behind it (in pots I guess) would help give height and soften the line. I really don't like the maple. Isn't there anything else that would work like a bonzai type tree? Anyhow, I love your idea about making a bed up the walkway and infront of the hedge. Hmmm. thanks again!

Would it be a good idea to extend the hedge on the left of the walkway, and then back to where the globe arborvitae is now? (Sorry, but that space seems so empty!)

megpie: I really don't like the maple. Isn't there anything else that would work like a bonzai type tree?

laag: Thin the maple and you'll love it. Don't be scared if there is more maple on the ground than on the tree.

megpie, since you already have the maple (a gorgeous one which many gardeners would die for), why not prune it and see how you like the svelte bonsai version? You won't lose anything but a couple of hours of time. Look at it as your chance to practice your bonsai skills!

Some Japanese maple inspiration for you:
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/to_JYlgpzkR0oOUlSr65OA
http://travel.webshots.com/photo/1033859962026404989dhpdMQ

Pruning advice:
http://www.finegardening.com/how-to/articles/pruning-japanese-maples.aspx

Before-and-after pruning:
http://www.helpfulgardener.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=14637

If you do decide to get rid of it, there are probably Japanese maple lovers who would be happy to dig it up, haul it away, and fill the hole with topsoil.

I agree the maple is not right for that spot. What about some trailing roses that drift down over the rocks? I love roses and boxwoods (I like wintergreen) mixed together. They can both take the heat/sun. I have seen some beautiful white/slightly pink ones, but don't know the name of them. Lavender might work well in there also. It likes lots of drainage and can take the sun/heat. Maiden grasses would also look good. You could then intersperse with some annuals. I think you could use some type of tall evergreen in place of the ball shaped shrub. Also, not to be rude, but I have never seen porch lights mounted that high above the door. Can you lower them? I think it would greatly enhance the ambiance of your entrance or replace with one larger one above the center of the door.

When you pluck that maple and look at the house from the street, you may find out what I am talking about.

I agree with laag. I also think the lampost poking out of the maple is not a good look I would remove that lampost, remove the yew- plant elsewhere, and prune back the maple, before I would remove that maple.
Try photoshopping out the maple and the ball in your photo- too see laags point. I see he/she is a retired registered landscape architect.

That maple is stunning. Or rather, could be stunning.

Rather than torture it into a bonsai, have you considered moving it?

A good landscaping company would have no trouble digging it out of its current location and re-planting it elsewhere... perhaps farther out in your lawn, where it could be seen in all its (unpruned) glory?

I would also like to encourage you to try [artfully] trimming the maple. A specimen of that size is so impressive and so rare. They grow so slowly, I would really hate to take it out!

If you're not comfortable doing the trimming, contact your local master gardeners and ask if they know anyone who has experience with trimming these. Or, if you have a botanical garden close to you, especially one that has nice Japanese Maple specimens, ask if they can recommend someone.

I think I'd try that first, but if you do decide to move it I think a reputable landscaping company could help you do so. I had someone move one for me that was about 3-4 feet tall...I was surprised at how small the root ball was for a tree that size, and I probably could have almost done it myself. Yours is a lot bigger, of course, but I do think it would be possible.

You guys have sure been busy with your house! I bet the neighbors are loving all the improvements you're making. :)

Thank you everyone!
missingtheobvious-Thank you for all of those links. The maples are beautiful.
Rindy-you see what I'm seeing. It's not that the maple couldn't be beautiful, it's in the wrong spot. The trunk is huge and just seems to large for that area. I don't take offense to your suggestion about the lights because you're absolutely right! Those lights will be coming down and replaced with a pendant from RH. Unfortunately this project is bigger than it looks. If we get rid of the lights and triangular pediment it requires replacement of siding in those areas...darn why can't it be more simple-because it never is!

cooperbailey-the lamp post is going. It's just a matter of time

I guess I will prune it first before I decide.
Thank you all!

I've posted a response on the LD forum...

KarinL

Here is a link that might be useful: LD thread

You have a very handsome home; its beautiful! The maple as others have said should be pruned back to a much smaller and graceful shape. It will look fine with the pole lamp-dramatic. There could be someone in your own neighborhood who has sculpted landscape shrubs who would be flattered to help you with it. Sorry my brother does not live near you(!) Please keep it and try-you can always remove later if you insist you hate it. If you do get rid of the maple-ask a nursery/landscape co. if they wish to buy it. Take out the fat globe in back, -its past its prime. Love your exterior colors. Shutters work for me.

Before you decide do remove the "ball" find out what it is. If it is yew, which it looks like to me, it will stand being pruned to size and it will regrow. if it's arborvitae....yank it!
the rule of thumb for shutters is they should be half as wide as the windows...so the proportion is such that if closed they would cover the windows. Panel shutters would look wonderful!

Could you put pendant lamps where the strange ones are and avoid having to replace siding?

"Doing" a house is a never ending task...trees grow, paint fades, tastes change....just keep plugging away!
Linda C

A couple of months ago someone posted a link to the shutter "rules"...what size etc looks in balance with the rest of the house. Wonder what happened to that link?

Thank you Karin and Daisy!

Thanks Linda. I will find out what the ball is. Now I'm tempted to rip out the liniar hedge (because it's very old and a bit sorry looking up close) and replant a bushier softer looking hedge. And after seeing my house in these photos I'm not so sure that conal shaped boxwood is the best shape for the area.

I see what you mean about the shutters. I don't think everyone follows that rule but did find some images on the web where the rule was followed. The best I can do is make them as wide as possible without covering the gutter on the left of the house. Without shutters on our house there would be too much "space" and nothing to fill it in. Even thought the shutters aren't perfectly sized (not at all for the big window) don't you think they add a little bit more charm/interest?

There is an electrical box behind the sconces so yes the siding needs to be replaced especially if we take out the triangle-it's cut into the siding. My husband did a beautiful job replacing some siding on other parts of the house, he's just getting burned out.

It is NEVER ending!

Hi Meg!

Your house is looking lovely, I hope you keep the maple, it really will look nice with proper pruning.

Never saw any finished or almost finished pics of the kitchen!

-Bee

HI there bee!
Thank you about the house! I will keep it and prune it for now. I wish I could move it. I think I might take pics of the tree and trunk and ask a nursery if it can be moved.

Ah the kitchen. Well...I hired a designer from velvet and linen. She encouraged me to keep the color camouflage by BM in my living room (I wasn't liking it) and then either take that color into the kitchen or paint it sea salt (soft pale blue-ish/greenish/slight grayish) by sherwin williams. Well miss indecisive (me)can't make up her mind. When it gets painted we will hang the woven shades I ordered and will be done! Right now my hubby is fixing the deck, has an entry door frame to install after he cuts it to size-a craigslist purchase saving us about 500.00-600.00 however when I brought it home my DH realized it was for a 2x6 construction home/doorway instead of a 2x4 constructed home/doorway. Lot's to do then I will post finished pics.
Thanks again, it's nice to have your input!

I doubt that's a yew, and even if it is, when a shrub is that big it has a root system that is capable of pushing out a lot of growth every season and so makes for an unnecessarily high maintenance plant even if it CAN be pruned to shape.

Same with the maple, I think, though I believe they can take root pruning as is done for bonsai. I have, however, NO idea what time of year that should be done, or how, or even whether it should be done on a mature specimen, so don't quote me!

Since the discussion is ongoing here, I'll also paste in below my comment from the other forum (the thread there needed an addition, so I initially posted there).

To take the focus off that bed for a moment, it is also worth going back to what Laag said about putting in a new bed along the sidewalk and across the hedge, and also about weighting the yard differently. Sometimes I find that the longer I delay a decision, the easier it becomes - and that might apply to the maple, so you could do other stuff first and then re-evaluate. In addition, if you have other new plantings in, the loss of the maple won't leave you with a moonscape.

KarinL

"You do have an interesting problem with that maple. It is the only softening influence in what is otherwise a very linear house and yard, and it is the only thing that crosses and thus muddies the rather sharp dividing line between yard and driveway.

What Laag has written on the other thread addresses the lines of your house and the DESIGN of the front yard in a way that will mitigate some of its unfortunate features: the half-yard half-driveway frontage, and the vertical linearity of the house. I put "design" in caps to distinguish it from "decorating" the yard, which is what a lot of people limit themselves to when looking at their landscapes. If you step back and think just about the lines, ignoring the details, I think you'll see the house as Laag does.

And Laag is right that its removal will leave you with a bleak prospect, a very driveway-ey house, one dominated by unattractive lines.

However, the maple is big and so I think I too would be inclined to remove it - or as has been mentioned on the other thread, try to have it moved to another part of the yard. This can be done in fall in my area, and you may get some dieback, but the majesty of the plant is likely to be preserved.

And really, if you don't like the maple, it is your house and you can't be expected to house it as a favour to the forum. The trick to coming out of this with a good design solution that will make you happy AND make your house look its best is to identify what it is about the maple that makes it a good design feature. I believe it is the fact that it obscures the line bordering the driveway, which from the driveway side is a lovely rock wall, but from the front is just a straight line that is elongated by the driveway itself and the fact that it connects visually to the nearest column. So the fact that the maple breaks up that line close to the house is key.

So perhaps you could prune the maple away from the sidewalk and just let it overhang the driveway, if you were inclined to keep it. Or you could replace it with a more upright variety and enjoy the early years of its growth, rather than the latter years of this one. Add in other softening, border-crossing, horizontal-arching plant material right up to where the green ball shrub currently is, and you may have an all-round pleasing result.

It might also be an idea to paint the columns a less stark colour, but that's not my area of expertise."