"I have to admit when we choose the double stairs we did not think what the purpose of the stairs or where the stairs lead to. We just liked the look of it. I am sure that violates the rule of landscaping/architecture design." Liking and having does not violate any rules. But not doing something appropriate with it once you have it would be questionable. I'm tossing out a walkway scheme that shows the staircases connected by semi-circular walkway in a classic manner as you might see in many places in the South. The point of the double staircase is not just to be functional, but to look grand. A connecting walkway develops the point. An alternative method would be a rectangular configuration, but since you're showing a semi-circular bed, I'm building on that scheme. (The position of the walk parallel to the house could be adjusted to be closer or farther from the house, but should not connect to the semi-circle in odd, slanting angles as you show. Its geometry should reflect some element that already exists.) A traditional red brick walk would look nice. My negative comment about the rock edging is because it looks rustic--like part of Granny Hinckel's Tennessee farm. Your house is much more refined so the rocks seem out of place. The solution would be a permanent walkway as an edging. That would look clean, refined and uncluttered. "One of the reason we do not want to do any hardscaping now..." There's no concern about when you do it. Your time frame is entirely up to you. We're talking about PLANNING it, which is a "must" before actual money is spent or work is attempted. It's not too early to figure out what to do... before you do any shrub planting. I look at your idea of having adjacent multiple species of shrubs as a bit like creating a conversation grouping of chairs in the living room, but instead of having a matching pair of chairs, using two that are completely different styles. It seems without purpose. People do this outdoors thinking that they're adding interest. But I think it is going to add busy-for-no-good-reason instead. On top of that, I reaffirm that there seems to be no reason to cover up architectural features, so going minimal instead of maximal seems better. A single fat shrub on each side seems plenty to me. I'd keep other plantings low and have flowers, whether perennial or annual, around the entrance ... including window boxes. They would help reaffirm the importance of the entrance. I like the lattice face and details of your porch. I wouldn't cover it with shrubs. If you think it needs more interest than a low bed of "groundcover," consider the possibility of a low placed art ornament like a sundial or some such object. I wouldn't place any type of wall-like screen, hedge or similar in front of the mudroom entrance. Architecturally, it is asking to be displayed, not covered. But a flowering tree would give that area a sense of shelter and help the house to look well-connected to its surroundings. (A matching tree could go on the left side of the house if a mirror image effect is desired.) If multiple-trunk, it would provide a filtered view of the MR entrance so that it would feel a touch more private. But it is the front of the house, so unless you wall it off, there's not going to be running-in-the-yard-naked type of privacy. A fabric awning over the MR steps could look nice.

You are definitely going for the right look for a foundation planting, namely a layered series of different textures with evergreen at the back. But I agree that a total of 5 feet from foundation out is not enough width to get that job done. You have enough sun to work with and you have a vision, so why not do it up right: expand the bed 3-4 feet, move the roses out a few feet, and then put in some spreading yew or a globe arborvitae-type thing about 2-3 feet out from the house. You'll have to trim the yew or whatever you put there, but it will give you the look you want. Yews are incredibly overplanted on the foundation, but for the back row of a layered planting, I think they work just fine. Put a low layer in front of the roses, maybe some Blue Star Juniper, then you can keep the layered thing going on during the winter. The Blue Star is fairly slow growing, (especially living on the east side), so don't expect it to fill in quickly. Instead, cough up the cash and plant several. If you think widening the bed is daunting, just lay down wet cardboard on the turf and cover with lots of mulch. Then cut out wide holes for your plantings. The grass will be long gone in a year. Boxwood could work against the foundation too, but it grows like molasses. Just my thoughts, based on having been in a similar situation. Get what you want the first time around, so you don't have to do it again later.

Thanks for the photo. Lovely house!! I'm not going to make specific plant suggestions since my zone is so different from yours, but I will give some general thoughts. With your porch, will a 4-6 ft shrub cut off too much of the light into your windows at the back of the porch and make that room too dark? Is there a reason that you can't or don't want to make the bed a bit deeper? To my mind, a 6 ft deep foundation bed is still a bit shallow. Consider whether you like variegated shrubs, which aren't flowery, but will add some lightness to the front of a dark-colored house. If you don't want to deepen the bed, would you consider having your bed a majority herbs, since you've already mentioned lavender and rosemary, both of which are shrubby herbs. Would several lavender be large enough to hide your window cover? Most New England gardeners, even in warmer areas than mine, haven't been successful with Itea 'Little Henry'. You might want to check with gardeners in your area to see how it does around you.

hi the bed you have there now.. is not even big enough to put a ladder in there to wash windows or do anything else .... i would suggest you triple the size of the bed.. so that 1/3 is left blank..AFTER the plants mature ... we have not seen the whole house.. but it looks multi-story.. and your bed.. as it is.. is not in proportion to the height of the house ... and that might be why you are struggling to conceptualize .... do grasp.. that foundation plantings.. are planted to HIDE the foundation.. NOT ON THE FOUNDATION ... it is one of the greatest errors made by the homeowner ... with that simply thought in mind.. just walk the 'hood'.. and see if you can start spotting.. who has done it right.. and who put all those cute little potted plants 2 feet from the brick.. and now have problematic monster ... the solution to that corner .. is either back in that triangle behind.. unless there is a gate there ... or about 10 feet towards the camera .. in the lawn ... again.. you are focusing at the foundation of the corner... to make the corner disappear.. from where you took the pic.. does NOT mean ... you plant ON THE CORNER ... get out of the box you have placed yourself in ... good luck ken