You can always use 1/4" graph paper to help with measurements and drawing to scale on the drawing. I have at times made my to-scale plants on another sheet of graph paper, cut them out, and then slid them around on the scale drawing of the yard to see how things fit and whether there would be room to walk, etc.

I also would reconsider whether lining the drive with plants will work in your situation. Is there room for cars and walking on the driveway or will folks stepping out of their cars end up walking on the plants?

As far as the other ideas, it is difficult to judge the quality of the plan without photos of the area and/or the finished plan.

Jenn, it looks like you have a lot of ideas and questions for your landscape. I am not in your area, but if you are hoping to avoid the cost of a professional landscape design, you might consider checking to see if any local designers offer just a one or two hour consultation and what those costs might be. The good news is you are asking all the right questions! The bad news is, there's so many factors to consider without a being able to see and understand the big picture, and unfortunately the handful of photos you've provided are only snapshots of the bigger puzzle. Hopefully you can locate someone local to walk and talk your thoughts and ideas with you!

It is difficult from these photos of smaller areas for me to figure out how it all fits together and get a feel for your yard. It would be most useful if you chose one part of the yard such as the front and took one set of photos of that part from something of a distance that spans the whole width of the yard from the neighbors' homes on the side and includes your house. The easiest way to do this is to take one photo from across the street and then stand about 20 feet from the house, opposite the center of the house and pivot your body to take a set of photos that go from one property line to the other. You have to include the house since it's a big part of the overall property. I can assume from what shows of your neighbors' homes that yours is two story with a second story deck on the back, but I can't really tell where the photos are on the property and how they relate to the building.

As an example, here is a thread with a set of photos that are really helpful.

[https://www.houzz.com/discussions/need-design-help-replacing-rock-mulch-and-plants-dsvw-vd~4574536?n=33[(https://www.houzz.com/discussions/need-design-help-replacing-rock-mulch-and-plants-dsvw-vd~4574536?n=33)

In the first photo, there is a good overview from a distance, and in the original poster's first follow up comment there is a good set of photos all taken from the same spot. They overlap a bit more than needed, so you could do the same in fewer photos, but they give a great idea of what is there now, location of trees, beds, etc, and how they relate to the building, walkway, etc.

If you aren't comfortable posting photos of the house, add a photo of a measured drawing. The plot plan would be a good start, bit then you need to add the location of anything not on the plan such as your front yard tree, any pavement not shown, etc.

I would definitely remove the rocks around the tree and the grass immediately around the trunk and a few feet out and put down a shallow donut of mulch, being careful not to let the mulch go against the tree trunk.

We’re in what is described as a 1 1/2 story villa, with a split entry and the main floor above grade, basement and garage is below. The villa term is applied here because we’re in a HOA where both lawn services and snow removal is done for us with the cost paid from our monthly dues. Residences are on green belts for this purpose, but each has area that falls under common exclusive use area, so our home having no shared walls gives us a substantial portion of exclusive use space for landscaping. Will have to work on better photos and find where the most accurate plot plan is - a few of the neighbors behind us and the one next door on the east side were allowed to landscape in earlier years beyond the boundaries of their exclusive use, so we have to decide what’s important, reclaiming the original plot lines or neighbors who aren’t thoroughly pi55ed off at us.

I’m considering removal of the tree in front and replacing with a bed for shrub and flower planting - the tree’s spread of roots are really bothering me in terms of what the future impact will be. The driveway, the sidewalk, the front walk and steps are all places I can see being damaged by tree roots. The rocks circling the tree are an issue affecting it, I think that the former owner simply didn’t care about the landscape or they wouldn’t have layered new mulch over rotting mulch for the last few years - they could have taken better care of a couple things indoors as well but that’s for another thread.

Any issues with the tree in the future are unknown unless you can identify what it is. Some trees will produce a lot of surface roots....other types do not. Do you see obvious damage occurring now or are you just anticipating future problems? Which may or may not materialize :-) If you dislike the rocks surrounding it, remove them! They are by no means a requirement but I doubt they are hampering the tree's growth or health.

"I think that the former owner simply didn’t care about the landscape or they wouldn’t have layered new mulch over rotting mulch for the last few years "

There is NEVER a need to remove old mulch before applying new if using an organic (decomposable) product. The old mulch just adds to the soil as it 'rots' or decomposes. It is a good thing!!

While postng more and better photos here could lead to some great advice, it will not generate a good landscape design. Your issue is too large and complicated to be successfully addressed by a few online comments or some rough mock-ups. I second the suggestion to hire a local designer or design consultant to help you draft up a master plan with a functional layout and appropriate plant suggestions. The cost is not at all prohibitive and is really a very practical and efficient investment that will increase your property values as well as your enjoyment of the space.

No removing mulch with fungus growing in it? As in large mushrooms?

and the tree is causing lifting of the driveway edge, as well as the path leading to the front steps.

The fungus/mushrooms are what are decomposing or breaking down the mulch. They too are a good thing!! 95% of any visible fungi you see in the garden are harmless to the plants but very beneficial to the soil.

Either way the smell bothers me, and any messing around with the soil or mulch that has mushrooms means I have to take an antihistamine after.

Then I suggest you stock up :-)) All soil is filled with fungi and fungal spores - they are a very necessary component of soil and plant health. If you are going to be doing any gardening at all you will not be able to avoid exposure. The mushrooms are just very transitory evidence of this fungal activity. Leave them alone for a few days and they will disappear on their own.

Close-up shots of dirt areas do not let people know how space is laid out. For conveying the scene of what you're landscaping (foundation planting) it has to be pictures that show everything - completely (surroundings) - as though you're standing there. The best starting picture is to line up with the center of the house face that is the subject. Move the camera a distance from it that the roof and about 15' to 20' of ground space in front of the house shows. (Don't move farther away or everything will be too small to see. Turn the camera to the far left (parallel to the street) and begin taking slightly overlapping pictures that pan to the far, equivalent right. This will show how things fit together about as good as can be done for those who cannot visit in real life. You'll likely need a separate picture taken from farther back that shows the whole front yard in a single shot so people can see how the fore portion of the yard and everything else fits together.