Simplifying with larger, bolder elements would help the landscape read from a distance. The beds around the trees seem to honor the ancient Chinese practice of foot binding, being too small for those large trees. Enlarge to be a more correlative proportion. Try to make the trees be more in the center, which means that the circle bed at the left side is a "D" shape, on account of the drive passing nearby. The lone circle bed at the center would be squeezed out, which is a good thing. Of the dated characteristics, it seems like a brooch pinned on the lawn. What the picture needs instead is a clearer path to the front entrance of the home. It should be visible from the street. Making the path too it more visible would be a big plus, too. Definitely, the shrubs flanking the walk should be done away with. They not only obscure the entrance but "say" it probably requires a special badge or password in order to enter. The jail bars say it's going to be hard to get in ... maybe hard to get out, too. I think they would be less visible if a darker color. Large patches of seasonal color flanking the entrance (not in front of it) would add some cheer and an inviting quality to the front entrance. With such low windows, beds of perennials or groundcover would be a better, low maintenance choice. The shrubs get too tall. They might be better flanking the windows instead of underscoring them. The house would look more well connected to the surroundings if it had small trees, with groundcover below, off of its front corners. Repair the lawn where it is scarred. It will make a big difference to the overall picture to get the grass in good condition. If it were ever a possibility, a porch roof would be a major upgrade to the whole house.

Thanks guys! I enjoy reading updates, so I had to do my own. :) I must have been dead to think this was an ugly stone wall! I absolutely LOVE IT! What a dang fool I was! Ugh! We are loving the look! We have purchased 9 metal frames. We plan on selecting 9 of our favs and making gallery above the little table in the entryway. We ordered our new storm windows this week. We went with sandstone ProVia storms. That color will be like the mortar in between the brick. Come spring we will get a new (black) charcoal roof, paint the gables, gutters and downspouts in sandstone as well.

I am no landscaping expert, but even something like this makes your entry more important. I'm sure that someone else will have some better ideas on how to improve this area and make it more welcoming. OK just saw the entrance image. Are we going for a contemporary home or an olde tyme cottage home?????? Have their been some changes to the original building?? The reason I ask is that I was getting ready to propose a contemporary garage door to go with your boulder stones. Which was do you want to go???

I agree about the shutters. And I would remove the window boxes and planters. Take a hard look at the house and figure out what specific things bother you. Overall, I think it’s a beautiful home, except for the shutters which feel like an add-on to me. The landscaping might be a little dated. You could consider something with more organic lines. Maybe a flower garden that winds its way through the front yard and looks like a lake or river of flowers. I saw a home with a slope that looks like your first pic, and their front yard flower yard flowed down to the edge of the property. The neighbors were always asking the owner for flowers. This is not the best pic but it gives you an idea of the kinds of lines you could do down the slope. Vary the widths of the flower garden and put as many colors and flower types in there as you want. Use better mulch. Unless you prefer something more formal or don’t want to deal with a flower garden.