snicker- you'd be dead before a daphne odora got that big. daphnes are great, but they have a habit of dying right around year 5-8, and they normally top out at about 3-4'. they grow slowly, to say the least, and are pricey, though the big boxes carry them for reasonable amounts compared to nurseries. do pop one in, just for the fragrance & looks, but put it in front of something taller. they need excellent drainage. another thought- hellebores would be nice to have a t the feet of some of your bigger stuff. they have long lasting flowers, can take poor soil and shade and thrive on neglect. they ain't cheap, and grow slowly, but they are worth it. if you can find someone who has them already, ask for seedlings- they self sow abundantly - and start that way. it'll be 3-4 years before you see blooms, but you won't regret it, and you'll forget they're there til then. camellias are easy. not high maintenance at all here. just pick the type you want based on the bloom you want and when (some bloom late fall & some spring) and the size, and be patient and let it grow. they'll do that faster with some sun and good soil, but will grow in shade; it just takes longer. if you can improve your soil, a 1 gallon plant, which would probably be about 12- 18" high, would probably get to 3-4 feet in a couple years. most camellias are going to get much larger than that though and you'll want to be careful in picking ones that match the size you want eventually to avoid trimming chores (most get bigger than what you're wanting). camellias have an nice shape naturally and shouldn't need too much fussing, unless you plant the wrong thing and it gets too big. i'd consider mixing and matching rather than doing all one thing. that way if you do have disease or insect problems, it doesn't wipe out everything. or if one dies down the road, you aren't stuck buying a huge one so you don't have a hole. a little variety in shapes and forms is much more dynamic in design, too. you can get a better range of color and scent and times of color as well. have fun with it!

Have you ever considered a moss garden? They're beautiful, easy to maintain, and subtle. I know moss sounds unatractive, but there are very uniques varieties that come in many different colors, and the flowering ones are stunning. I had neibourgh who made a bonsai esque moss garden: it had dwarfed cypress and a few other dwarfed center pieces, surrounded by a beautiful plethora of red and green mosses. It worked perfectly due to the low levels of light and looked refreshing and unique (not many people have such styles).

Foundation plantings certainly add color and soften the view of the house, but they come with a myriad of problems that you should consider before even selecting a plant. First, you mention that there are no gutters, so all the rain runoff is going to hit the area quite hard. With that thought in mind, you should consider filling the area with large river rock to at least a foot beyond the drip line and planting in front of it. This will accomplish several goals. You don't have to worry about rain damage, you will have easy access to the crawl space, and you won't have to worry about beating up the plants when you paint or power-wash. Second, the soil in the immediate proximity of your foundation is going to be much more alkaline than the rest of your property. In choosing a plant that looks great twenty feet from a building, yours, when planted that close, is never going to look as good. Many of the flowering plants suggested above will flower less or not at all as a foundation planting. Sure you can fertilize the daylights out of them, but then, with all your rain pouring down, all that food is going to wash away. For obvious reasons, I no longer recommend specific plants on this forum, but to be general about it, I would recommend leafy plants that can take the alkaline soil, not mind getting soaked on a regular basis, and can be trimmed hard to maintain your required height. Take a drive around your neighborhood and check out what's been growing for several years under your conditions; that's the a step in the right direction.

The picture provided is not helpful for landscape suggestions. Could you stand in front of the door, at a distance, and take another photo? We need to see the full yard and sides. After you take the first picture, stay in the same spot and take a picture aimed at the left side and then the right side. Panoramic photos will not work as they distort. Three photos is best. Is the door currently painted or natural wood? Are you willing to relocate the bench? How much time do you have to maintain a garden? I have never tired of the traditional white house with dark green trim.