Conceal that white pvc(?) pipe sticking up in the front yard! Vstavay's plan only partially did the job (and maybe not year round) and Yaardvark ignored it. If you like the leggy look of Y's two plants anchoring the corners of the porch, is it possible to prune the existing shrubs to be tree like? The missed opportunity here seems to be the wide area between the sidewalk and street. Does everyone have turf? I wouldn't want to break up a continuous streetscape with something totally anomalous, but generous planting around the tree and sign post would be harmonious.

Thanks so much for the ideas! What would be a good way to conceal the pipe? Also, the I do not want to remove the tree next to the mailbox?

You don't have to remove the tree--just remove the lower 2 limbs and see what an improvement that makes.

Pull the mulch away from the tree trunk a little. Flatten the tree mound.

Then remove the green blob bushes on the sides. Even if you just trim them way back for now--they look like the kind that will come back from the stump.

Baby steps.

I don't think anyone is recommending to remove the tree. Just limb up as Frankylynnsie says, so your house can be seen and tall passersby don't feel scalp-threatened. I would guess its mound to be a mass of solid roots about which nothing can be done.

Unfortunately, there is no good way to conceal the cable junction "dome". Pretty inconsiderate of cable company to put it there. I would badger them to move it into an underground box, if any way possible. If you plant around it, you make it grow into something much worse and larger. If painted the color of the Statue of Liberty's shaded portions, it wouldn't stand out so starkly.

If the pipe can be moved, great. If not, I'd paint it dark green AND plant a nice big shrub right in front of it, with plan for shrub to envelope it.

The problem with that, Kitasei, is that the shrub itself -- out all alone -- becomes the wart.

the yard is not very big so it's not exactly left field. I think low but bushy shrubs could fill out much of the area surrounding the walk. What is the point of the grass?

A fake rock over the pipe?

"I think low but bushy shrubs could fill out much of the area surrounding the walk. What is the point of the grass?"

For the same reason we don't fill the living room floor with furniture. A lawn is "carpeted" walking space. Artistically speaking, "white" space. Very useful. Very nice looking when taken care of, and non-cluttery.

The tree only obscures the house from the straight-on static view in the photo. Anyone driving by will see the house from an angled view with no problem. Small garden, mature tree -- I would trim only as needed for those passing by on the sidewalk or for cars parking on the street.

Personally I would avoid growing tree canopy overhanging the roof or bumping up against the house -- thinking of critters having access to the house and leaf debris building up. Fewer potential problems with the tree canopy a distance out from the building. It looks tidy in the graphic, but in real life it would be a nuisance.

Those darn utility things -- I agree painting it and otherwise ignoring it is best.

Before we go any further, take a look at that pipe and see if it actually has to be that tall. It may well be plopped on top of something 2 inches high. The company may use a standard pvc length that make it easy for them to spot a connection in a deep snow.

Wherever a shrub or tree canopy interfaces with a building wall, it's trimmed back to 12" to 18" separation, and usually touched up once or twice a year. This is on its back side so shaded by the house and shaded by the front side of the shrub/tree itself. Therefore, re-growth on the back side is slow and mostly at the outer edges. It helps, of course, if the plant is planted far enough from the building. If not, it will lean outward toward the light, but sometimes we have to work with what we have, depending on space available and what we inherited.

Your house is beautiful. In what area are you? I have no training in landscaping and my ideas are budget ones. With that said...build a 2'x 2' square a little taller than pipe made of pvc lattice and plop that sucker over the pipe. Wood would be better, but you have to be prepared to change it out every few years. Put a flower pot with good soil inside the lattice and plant a perennial vine that would spill over to soften the look. I've planted plain old sweet or Irish potatoes to cover eyesores. Green up your yard using new sod or even cheaper, weed and feed in the spring. Shape your shrubs. I really like Vst's suggestions. Like frankie said, pull mulch away from tree, and kit's suggestion to plant around tree and mail post would give a finished look. I would plant a creeping ground cover. Yard is a pro, though, and knows all about dimensions. I like the way the tree looks now, but it would be a problem in the future and I definitely become psychologically attached to trees. Yard, what material would you suggest to line the flower beds? Your house has so much character.

Vintage, what do you mean by "... line the flower beds ..."?