Crapemyrtles are actually fairly long lived and some cultivars can get 20-30 feet tall. It's a very well behaved tree and a safe choice for your front yard. Crapes are prettiest when allowed to make several trunks. Shade trees make a big difference: At the beginning of this summer I had my Mulberry tree cut down. It has been hotter than H E double toothpicks. The difference between tree and no tree has been dramatic. I don't remember being this miserable in a long time. So it was damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead: I did what I was not supposed to and planted not one, but two London Planes in my 30 foot deep front yard (It's 80' wide). They are situated fairly close to the fenceline and will shade my yard and a good part of the road. There are no powerlines or sewer over there for them to interfere with. Also being on a corner lot, they're not going to droop over into anyone else's yard. I was going for maximum overkill for shade and aircooling. Shading part of the street will also combat the hot pavement effect. They're growing quickly but they can't grow fast enough for me.

outsideplaying, I really like the bench idea. I was contemplating something like that. Thanks so much for the advice on the planters with height. I never would have thought of that. What about the stairs - Should there be anything at the top of the stairs (on either side) and/or the bottom? Tibbrix - Thanks for the ideas! I too like the grass idea. Out landscaper is coming back up hopefully this fall to help us figure out the rest of the plants around our home and he had mentioned something like that, or a bush. Our original rock plan for in front of those steps was supposed to look like this. We had to hire a local landscaper to do the rockwork and he didnt follow the plan so we are stuck with that big mass of rock in front. I just put a bunch of plants in because they were going to die. I did put a bush that should get some decent height to the right of the steps (under the window) to kind of hide that hole there. I'm seriously contemplating just redoing it all and having my husband do the rock the way it was meant to be done. Ugh! I just need one of you guys to come here for a couple months and help me figure all of this out. I am so overwhelmed!

Landscaping is not designed in complete disregard of whatever is the backdrop. The first picture is not the one someone would use in order to landscape the front of this house. You'd need to turn the camera around so that it is aiming toward the house. Because of the wall you'd need to stand at the gate and show the area in slightly overlapping photos, panning from left to right such that everything is included except what is near your feet, showing as much of the house as possible. You'd also want to take another picture by backing up and standing in the street that shows your whole property in a single shot. For the back yard, you'd need to do basically the same. From about midway out into the yard, turn around and show the back of house from lot line to line. If you can't capture it in a single picture, show it in two slightly overlapping pictures. If that back yard has shade on it from noon on, at what portion of the yard is the shade located? And where is it coming from?

I hope you don’t mind me playing around with the image (I’m not a pro) ... I added river rock, stacked boulders, decorative pot (for a sculptural look), ornamental grasses, Lantana, and an idea for a low ground cover (front corner). I don’t know what plants do best in your area, a good nursery will. This isn’t an idea set in stone (heh), just to give a visual idea of a minimal look. I personally think a tree there would be too much. I like how your house is framed by mature and lush plantings — it’s attractive and provides nice borders with neighbors. I think a simple, Xeri/zen area just in the front there would compliment your house well and be a nice contrast with everything else. (The bed between the driveway and walk seems overgrown, are you wanting to change it, too? I think low growing plants would be better there.)