It's going to be trees that stop the building from looking so exposed and stark. Whatever the "solitary bush" is ... can it be grown into a multi-trunk tree form? If so, you've got a start. If it can't, I'd get rid of it and find a nice tree. I would do most of the bed in a low groundcover, allowing it to trail over the wall if that appeals to you. At the house could be a large patch of flowering perennial. Russian sage comes to mind as it has a long blooming season. Or, it could be something even taller (up to 50% of wall height.)

The bed at right side of the picture could also use a tree. As long as the gravel mulch looks good, I think you are fine to leave the various shrubs and don't need a groundcover there.

It works better if threads deal with one primary area, like front yard. You could delete the back yard pictures in this thread (via edit function) and begin another thread for that area.

I like your ideas Yaardvark. Do you think it is ok to plant a tree next to the driveway? I would love one there but I wonder about the roots and the cement? For the life of me I cannot find the edit function to delete the backyard photos!

The "edit" and "delete" function is at the top of each post.

You wouldn't want to plant a monster oak next to the driveway. But a smaller tree -- like a flowering redbud -- is not likely to damage the driveway from a few feet away.

Well I found the edit and delete on each of the comments but can't get it to show up at the top of my original post?

I delete by putting my cursor below the photo and backspacing until it's gone.

Kitasei that is not working for me. I have been considering removing alot of the river rock from my beds because it is so hard to plant and move things. Also, the weeds are harder to pull. I have wondered about planting something larger on the right corner of the garage to soften that corner but there isn't alot of space...Right now there are two salvias planted there...

I happen to like the wide open landscape and wouldn't attempt to enclose the house in a cocoon of vegetation. I'd rather see a grand tree or two planted a distance away where they can spread their branches fully, celebrating the freedom of space. to do so (Frederick Law Olmsted's most powerful aesthetic chord). Choose magnificent specimens that will make you swoon silhouetted against that sky. The back deck is a different story - two stories! There I would plant to conceal the legs, leaving the decks to feel like aeries.

That back deck is pretty atrocious from the south! I will do some research about Frederick Law Olmsted's concepts. I know I need some trees, I just want to be sure about their placement.

Get all of the measurements for the different decks, and also note where there are windows that should not be blocked. Then you'll know what forms and densitiesyou want.. For example, I see one place where you might want a small tree that reaches the upper deck but is bare at the bottom so the window is clear, combined with a low shrub to cover the foundation below the window.

Thank you for the picture vstavay! That looks so nice with something planted there. Are the pink shrubs in the same space as the other plants or are they in the space on the other side of the steps? I can't quite make it out. Also, would you recommend putting the trees in the existing rock beds (my preference I think) or in the lawn area?

Kitasei I will get those measurements! Thank you for a logical way to approach that area. I have been overwhelmed with not really knowing where to start.

I wasn't suggesting that you delete the original post, and I don't think you can. But you can go into the edit function and once there use the arrow keys to place the cursor where you want it. When the cursor is at the immediate end of the picture, press the backspace key and the picture will disappear.

As far as a tree at the right corner of your garage.... I would have put one outside of the walk, but it should be in an island. Yet, you already have an island a few feet farther away and if creating a second island, they would look silly being so close. Therefore, I opt for a larger tree farther away. Admittedly, my tree there looks sparse (free and sloppy!) but a real tree, full and wide could look fine.

Wouldn't this eventually grow into stripes?

I really love the idea of a tree in the island to the right of the garage. I am wondering about placement with regards to the flagpole? We use it occasionally but alot of times it is so windy up here that it shreds a flag pretty fast. I really appreciate any and all advice! May I ask how you are making these mockup pictures?

Other people may use landscape specific programs to create mock-up pictures. I'm using Microsoft Paint. I like it because it is simple but versatile. If one knows the basic elements of drawing and painting, one can accomplish the same things one can accomplish with papers, pencils, brushes and paint ... and more because it has the cut and paste feature. While it is on many computers, one cannot use it very well unless one has touchscreen capabilities and a stylus. Yet without that, many of the features will be useful. All of the tools are well explained in the help menu.

The cut and paste feature is what allows one to cut photos apart and reassemble their pieces as a panorama (if they are taken from the same camera viewpoint.) The picture can either be opened in the Paint program, or it can be grabbed off of the GardenWeb forum with the copy feature and pasted into the open Paint window. (Click on the picture first to copy the enlarged version instead of the shrunken version that shows on the forum.)

Very cool!

I think your flagpole should be taller. As tall as the house. There are flags that won't rip. Maybe you just need to put cut outs in them.. But to be an impressive feature in that open landscape, it has to be tall.

It does look really dinky when it is retracted:) It extends when you want to fly the flag. I am thinking it would make the most sense to put a tree on the opposite side of the bed instead of next to the flagpole don't you think? Any ideas how to spruce up that bed a bit? I inherited the plantings that are knockout roses, siberian iris, and daylilies. That spot is very exposed and catches alot of wind so everything needs to be tough to survive there.

I would be more inclined to place a tree here, with an island at it's base.

You are correct, I would not be inclined to move it! I see that your picture has already answered my question. Would a tree in the 15 to 20 ft height be appropriate or should I go larger?

larger. 25' or 30' there. Smaller if closer; larger if farther.