Everything appears to be the same size and with similar appearance and texture. You need to create more interest by mixing things up a bit - larger textured foliage contrasted against small; an upright columnar plant or two contrasted against lower, mounding forms. And bring in some color......and it doesn't have to be just from flowers - flowers are very transitory and temporary. Foliage color is very long lasting so focus on that first.

Zone 7 gives you more flexibility with plant choices. Here's a few thoughts:

Large textured plants: Rhododendrons, Viburnum davidii, Oakleaf hydrangea, hostas

Finer textured plants: Nandina domestica, boxwood or Japanese holly, threadleaf cypress (and other dwarf conifers), ornamental grasses

Columnar or upright plants: Rhamnus 'Fine Line', 'Sky Pencil' holly, Irish or 'Gold Cone' juniper, Berberis 'Hellmond Pillar' or 'Orange Rocket'

Colored foliage: Abelia 'Kaleidoscope', Japanese barberry, 'Coppertina' or 'Center Glow' ninebark, Japanese maples, 'Blue Star' juniper

And select plants that will remain pretty much in scale with your "finished" size requirements so that constant pruning is not required. Pruning everything into a rounded ball is not the least bit attractive.

Thank you for your suggestions. I will look into these plants you suggested.

Hello Yardvaark---thank you for making a composite picture out of my yard photos. Now, we have a fuller image to start the discussion.

Hi--thank you for drawing these ideas. They look awesome! Can you tell me what the tall purple flowers are? Are they in window boxes? What about the trees?

On the picture you can find Cistena Plum( two bushes ), Boxwood, Colorado Spruce, Hydrengia, Magnolia Tree, Hostas and Petunias for window boxes. Some of your bushes I've removed to make the entrance wider or replaced to bring some colour...

Thank you for specifying the plants you suggested. This looks wonderful and much more inviting.

It's a scheme, not specific plants and colors. Cleaning up the bottom of the tree would be a near instant improvement.

An easy way to go about the change would be to remove the second layer of shrubs on the right side of the house. They are too similar in size and shape to the shrubs in the back row. If you don't like the shrubs in the back row perhaps you could switch some of them. If you don't want to lose the Nandina, which I think I see in the front row, they can be pruned. They have a special pruning method from the base that you can probably see on Youtube if you don't know it.

It sounds like you want perennials so you could put them in the newly opened up space.

Some of the plants you mention are not low water plants. If you want to go more drought tolerant then you can keep all the plants that need more water in just one area. That makes it easier to water them.

Here is a link to low water Geraniums. LINK They could help fill in between your shrubs.

The one I have is Geranium Cantabrigiense Bio Kovo.

I would relocate all the shrubs to the left of the door. Find dwarfs or perennials that will not need constant pruning to stay below the porch.

I like your idea to remove the "edging."

I am not a fan of the mound of mulch piled against the tree. Perhaps it is a matter of taste.

Thank you Yardvaark and Emmarine, I appreciate your input. This has been educational and will greatly improve my yard.

The flag and the paver circle around the tree are the two elements I would eliminate if I wanted to update the look.

Hi--thank you for these suggestions.