Honestly,Andrew I don't think you'll have much luck but you can try. See, GardenWeb was just a one-man operation originally and if I recall correctly, Spike was from the NorthEast. Then his site was sold to iVillage and ,short of asking for forum moderators, iVillage doesn't get too involved in monitoring or interacting with users. The Carolina forum which is part of the Southern region has a lot of use year round because of the many planting zones and the huge population shift moving from more northern states. They all seem to find us and that's why we are one of the few forums to have a three-sector forum including exchanges and conversations. We love it that way, it helps us keep on track and on topic. Anyway, I was going to suggest that you might contact Carolina Gardening magazine. They were taken over recently too but you might connect with some of the older staff and see if they can put you in touch with our Mountain Gardeners of the South. Remember also, that lots of people live on the Piedmont and have either or both beach houses and mountain houses so many of the regular posters here have multi-zone experience. It's early in the season. Next month you'll see a lot more participation on all the forums. Maybe you could Google Blue Ridge gardening,mountain gardening etcetera but I still feel your local nurseries can be of most help.

Wondering if you think five star junipers would be nicer here than the 3 across the front with two low lying junipers on each side? Should I get rid of the bushes the l-shape along the sidealong the side of the driveway? Also should I remove the birds nest spruce by the front door and just have the Korean lilac bush?

"Plus, I wouldn't mind seeing some blooms out my window." The bloom period is fairly short- what about all the other months of the year? Hydrangeas would not be my choice as a front yard focal point for that reason alone- I want the front of my home to be attractive 12 months a year, not just one. To that end I'd really use some conifers and broadleaved evergreens to do the main work and use several seasonal interest things to provide the punch. In a smaller yard I'd use dwarf conifers and evergreens and likely use a lot of pots for my seasonal color- pots that can easily be switched out as their period of interest wanes and another pot is starting up. I am 6b and the front of my home also faces east. The majority of my filler plants are dwarf conifers and boxwood. A Japanese Maple as a focal point and lots of ferns and hostas to fill space. Then in pools on either side of the entry I have colorful seasonal perennials and pots of annuals. I find this approach works well- there is always something interesting going on. I truly think what you need to do is measure your space and get it down on graph paper. Mark your sun/shade and how the light moves. Then you can see what size plants you have room for and can start looking for what you like. I suggest that you spend some time in your nearest botanical garden to see what the possibilities are for your area. You have several near you- GO. Wear your walking shoes and take photos. Driving parks and high end neighborhoods is also helpful- if you see something you like snap a photo and the ID the plants and duplicate that look. Or show us a photo of the front of the home. You are designing here and now is the time to make your mistakes- not after putting something in the ground, growing it for a year only to find out conditions don't suit it. You have a blank slate so take that to the Landscape Design forum and ask for help. I think hydrangeas are a mistake- they're just not that interesting when not in bloom. They can be part of a group but not a main focus other than their blooming period. I have lots of hydrangeas- paniculatas, arborescens, serratas- I ditched my macrophyllas due to frustration at lack of blooms caused by my unwillingness to do winter protection. None of those I have would suit the front of a home as a featured plant to build a design around. Spend more time choosing and planning. Summer's a bad time to plant anyway, so you're looking at fall planting at the earliest, so you have time to research and get it right.

I'm not sure a matching row of anything is required on either side. The narrow bed edged by the sidewalk does limit what you can plant. Since that appears to be the sunniest spot, dwarf abelias could work (and fit) there. A few to consider are 'Kaleidoscope', 'Lemon Lime', 'Miss Lemon' or 'Confetti'. But there is no reason you can't mix it up with some other size appropriate broadleaved evergreen. Or even a dwarf conifer. And feel free to squeeze a few tropical-look annuals or temperennials like the cannas (which would look pretty stunning with the abelias). On the shadier, tree side, I'd assume you are not as restricted with the bed width because of no walkway? If so, widen the bed to accommodate other shade tolerant plantings that would fit.....maybe dwarf rhododendrons, pieris or kalmias and suitable perennials like hostas, which can appear very tropical with their big leaves. Or add caladiums for a more colorful tropical vibe. The point is that a single soldierly line of the same plant is boring and uninspired. They don't all have to be the same on either side so pick and choose to maximize contrast, texture and seasonal appeal. And I'd suggest just using annuals on the planting bed streetside of the walkway. With the typical excessively narrow walkway most houses have by default, large bushy plantings edging a narrow sidewalk will start to feel engulfing and intimidating and make the walkway feel even more narrow. I'd get rid of the those big green blobs to begin with. They are doing nothing to enhance the entry,