Billowing pink, rose, or orange bougainvillea. After a slow start, it grows like mad in hot dry climates.

Per your main question, the pictures are not useful. You'll need to retake and I suggest standing at the curb, lined up with the front door and take a series of slightly overlapping pictures all from that exact spot, panning left to right, where the beginning and ending pictures would include views of neighbors' houses.

Unfortunately, @yardvaark, that photo of the front of the house WAS taken from the curb. A very short driveway and very little yard to work with. The front door itself cannot be seen from the curb.

The shrub immediately in front of the post can be moved, but the green shrub in front of the real estate sign is owned by another home owner.

Succulent container gardens along the front entry would be great. Find some ceramic urns and pots of varying sizes and coordinating colors to give it a little pizazz. And yes, love the bouganvillea idea. So lush and colorful.

At each side of your drive are shrubs that kill landscape potential. If you're on good terms with the neighbors you might ask them if those shrubs could be removed (since they're doing nothing of value for those neighbors.) If you need to sweeten the pot in order to entire them, I'd offer a 3 or 5 gallon plant as a gift for wherever they want to use so long as it is clear of your entrance. `There is color near the door and a window box for the driveway window. Some succulent groundcovers may perform well in the conditions you have I don't know.

When we lived in New Mexico, I used colorfully glazed pots to add interest to the landscape in my courtyard.

With such a tight space you definitely have a challenge! I do agree with yardvaark, take some cookies or something to the neighbors and see if you can at least get rid of that Texas Ranger blocking the view to your door, although my inclination would be to place some bold, structured succulents along front, perhaps a Weber's Agave or Octopus Agave, then tucking in some smaller succulents and colorful shrubs/ groundcovers (thinking maybe smaller agaves, gopher plant, gallardia, smaller salvias). Having a bold statement plant out front also means you could add lighting for dramatic effect at night. Mix in one or two large (2x2) boulders to add more topographical interest as well. (ala Dig Doug's Design above) Could turn out totally cute!

Thank you for all the great ideas and suggestions! After we get settled in I'll post some updated photos as the transformation happens.

We are already planning our move-in strategy and shortly thereafter will be inviting all 4 neighbors to an open house with a hand-delivered paper invitation to charm them (hopefully) into a friendly, new, neighborly relationship :)

Thank you for the great ideas! Lightscaping at night will be a fun project as I feel lighting enhances so much at night.

With real estate sky-high here and rising faster than flood-water, a yard and pool were two things we had to sacrifice into order to get into a home large enough to give us growing room.

Join the HOA and change the rules. :)

That said, I wouldn't change the trim color. The stub definitely needs to go. All the shrubs I can see in any photo need to go.

A Saquaro 6'-8' tall and a few Agave and Yucca would be attractive on the left side. Desert Spoon next to Gold Mound Lantana also look good if color is desirable. Remove shrub on right of driveway and plant a multi trunked Palo Brea at least 24" box. This of course assumes these plants are allowed by the HOA, which I'm sure they are.

HOAs kill me. They've got all these rules, yet they don't mind that the window sills, walls, and frames are all made of that cheap fake stucco. Even the friggin' window sills!!!

Sheesh.

Colorful pots are a good idea. Just make sure they are big enough so that they don't dry out fast in the dry climate. Get a timer watering system for them.

I like your idea of the water feature, @bellburgmaggie. I would like to change the garage door and front door to more of a spanish style so I will have to explore the Approval Board with the HOA. I have seen some different style front doors on a few of the houses but I have not seen ANY different garage doors on any of the 200 properties in the neighborhood. Not sure if that is because garage doors are more expensive and this development isn't very old or if the HOA frowns on it. I guess I'll find out!

another look