It's too bad that you cant go just a tad bit shorter than 2 to 3 feet, I had lots of suggestions for you that stays with the same one plant, but with color varations. One suggestions was to go with the Cosmic cosmos--all three colors red, orange and yellow which are totally stunning and vibrant mixed together. And incredibly easy to grow from seed! Another suggestion was Magellan zinnias, which will grow like dwarf hydrangea shrubs smothered with handsized blooms that last for months. I had blooms that did not need be removed for 4 months, I kid you not! And there is just about every color available, coral, ivory, yellow, pink, scarlet, cherry, orange, salmon. I am growing over 400 of these this year. Another suggestion was a mixture of Celosia 'Fresh Look' colors in red, orange,and yellow. Most people hate celosia because they have never had good luck with keeping them going, but the Fresh Looks are very stunning, lush, healthy plants that get just under 2 foot tall, if I remember correctly. Another suggestion was to do Gomphrena, in a mixture of colors. Gomphrena, if plants are kept together and properly spaced will grow to a 2 foot tall airy "shrub" that stands up to rain, drought, etc. I grow the "All Around Purple', 'Strawberry Fields', and other colors from Park Seed, including white, rose and bicolor rose. Dont underestimate those small colored balls! They can REALLY make a huge standout, if they are grown correctly. I second the idea of using Profusion zinnias. These are like the perfect daisy like flower! Also, the blooms did not need removed for 4 months, available in colors: cherry, white, orange, Fire (reddish orange) and Apricot (my favorite). Very easy to grow from seed. You may want to check into the Tidal wave Petunias. If you space them about 2 foot apart, they will spread out like you wouldnt believe and grow to about 2 foot tall. I have never seen a petunia grow like this before last year! Though, the silver would blend right into your house color, but they do make a purple, hot pink, and cherry color that I will be doing this year. Tidals have a massive branching system to them. Do a search on gardenweb and you will find lots of pictures and ideas for them.

Mollugo verticillata?

I'm going to take an entirely different approach. And this is based on many years as both a professional design/landscape consultant and garden coach. Extensive perennial plantings are high maintenance. Not sure how large your assorted perennial beds are but maintaining 8 of them, 3 of which are very visible, is going to take a lot of time. Based on your screen name, I assume you work for a living? And no doubt, so does your spouse. Do you want to spend limited free time doing a lot of gardening or would you rather have more time to just enjoy your outdoor space? And if you are new to gardening, there is a high learning curve involved with an extensive, existing garden, I'd suggest that you slowly convert the perennial beds to lower maintenance plantings, focusing on small trees and shrubs. These will not be maintenance-free but will require less attention than a heavily herbaceous perennial bed. You can certainly keep whatever perennials you find very appealing, but include them as only a portion of the plant selection, not the focus. There is a horticultural rule of thumb - the larger and longer lived a plant, the less ongoing maintenance it will require......a sliding scale with annuals and perennials at the high end and shrubs and trees at the lower end. Also, the more evergreen, the less maintenance required (generally). You may want to hire someone to help with this. Garden coaching/consultation is a pretty active business segment in many parts of the country. They can help you both identify the plants you have, determine which might be appropriate to keep and help to select others to replace and offer lower maintenance and a longer season of interest. At a modest hourly rate, this may be an excellent investment. FWIW, most Master Gardener organizations do not provide for this type of onsite, individual/personal attention, at least under the auspices of the program. Their mission is community outreach via plant clinics, community gardens, answer lines, etc., not a one-on-one approach. Checking with your local program office or county extension should clarify.

I remember how difficult it is to get started when you have a bare, flat yard. I kept staring out the windows, trying to imagine what I could plant where. It helps if you have someone stand outside while you look out the windows. Have your helper walk around from place to place, waving his/her arms, and maybe even holding a broom up overhead. Try to imagine your helper is a bush or a tree. When your helper gets to a spot that looks good from the inside, make a note of the position, or have your helper plant a garden stake (much easier to move than a tree!) Then go stand outside, or across the street, and see if that really is a good place for a tree. Use pots of annuals which you can move around until you find a space placement that suits you. THEN dig a bed. You can always set out empty boxes, or laundry baskets or even chairs to find spots for a shrub. Anything of a similar size that's easily movable will do. Here are some general principals I've found helpful. If the front is your main entrance, plant things that you will be happy to see when you come home. Start planting close to the walk and steps. This will encourage you to expand. Take it slow. I read once that you should live in a house though one set of seasons before you do any major changes. I translated that into planting annuals at first...which will have to be redone anyway. Fall is really the best time to plant trees and shrubs, as then they will get lots of rain. And, they will be cheaper at the 'year end' sales. Plant evergreens and long season perennials in the front as you and the neighbors will be looking at this area every day. Don't be afraid to take out something you don't like. Try to transplant it, or give it away. If it lives, fine, but you don't have to put up with something you don't like. Bare ground will make you feel better than a plant that irriates you. Don't plant acid loving plants close to the foundation of the house or near the cement path or sidewalk. They won't thrive. I figured this out after losing a row of azaleas, one by one. You can buy spray paint that is specially made to be sprayed holding the can upside down, so you can mark the edges of the beds. Just make sure that it isn't 'clear' paint. (Yes, it does come that way - a friend did this!) Or take a container of flour out and use that to mark plant placement or bed edges if you want a very temporary marking. The front yard is your house's public face and a place to show off your gardening skills. Rather than screening off the street, plant so that people driving or walking by will have something pleasant to look at and your visitors will find inviting. And for safety reasons, you don't want to 'hide' your house. Burglars go for entrances that are screened off from the view of the neighbors. Re paths: Make sure you leave good access to the utility boxes. Make sure you can get a lawnmower and wheelbarrow everywhere they'll need to go. You won't want low branching trees too near paths, either. If you don't have a pleasant view out the windows, one small patch of bright color will draw your eye away from the eyesore. Try a few pots of color, just set out on the ground, and see how they draw your attention. You do want to 'hide' the foundation of the house with taller, more solid shrubs. This will help transition the house into the lot, and help it look 'planted' rather than just 'plopped' onto the lot. Place lower plants further away from the house, along the path and sidewalk. You don't have to have ANY lawn in the front, but you don't have to take it all out at once, either. Have fun! Daphne in Tacoma