Are you willing to remove any of the hardscape?

I just paid 25 grand to do all the pavers and flowerbeds. I am looking for ideas for the side flower bed in the front flower bed as well as putting potted plants I guess

Flowering shrubs and perennials in the beds. I wouldn't put a tree in the front, but it would be nice if you could find or make space on the side where the garbage cans are.

You don't give us any idea of where you are. And the beds seem to be very tiny. So it is difficult to provide any suggestions other than some seasonal annuals.

If you want something more permanent, visit a local nursery and see what sort of small/dwarf shrubs or compact perennials they have that you like and that would work in those cramped conditions.

Talk to a local gardener in your area. Choose a variety of flowers, plants, and shrubs so you will always have something blooming during all 4 seasons. Depends on your location and climate. You could also add a window box of flowers and two potted plants to the front porch. White and yellow flowers would really pop against the red brick.

Sorry. I am located on Long Island New York

I think we could have saved you a lot of money if you'd come here before you had the front lawn covered with brick. Looks like it will be hot as blazes in the summer. Id want a tree in that street side bed to try and ameliorate that hot feeling. However, it can't be too big. Maybe an ornamental one that just softens all the hardscape.

some ideas using Zelkova, Acoma crape myrtle, Maryland Holly & maiden grass

Yes. And the crape myrtle will be a die back perennial in that location.

The trees will be fine. Zelkova is used all the time in sidewalk plantings ( http://www.pottstowntrees.org/H2-Best-street-trees.html) & crape myrtles are fine on Long Island. Contrary to what people from the PNW say.

http://www.hicksnurseries.com/trees-and-shrubs/hardy-crape-myrtle-for-long-island/

http://easthamptonstar.com/Garden/5/Crape-Myrtle-Visitor-South

https://www.pinterest.com/prherbfarm/long-island-seashore-trees-and-shrubs-prherbfarm-l/?lp=true

The only way a tree would not work in the planters is if there was concrete at the base of the planter. This is typically not true. ( http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/downloads/pdf/nycdot-streetdesignmanual-interior-06-landscape.pdf)

Here is a winter photo of mature crape myrtles growing at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden in confined conditions:

I wanted to suggest roses and lavender for the side beds and a fruit tree in the front with some mint beneath it :)

When you get around to the potted plants I'd recommend perennials that will come up every year unless you don't mind gardening annuals every season, and some flowers near the blessed mother would look nice beneath too.

Copy Doug's design, exactly. You couldn't possibly get a greener front, considering the pavers. And look what a huge difference it's made...

What size are the beds, length, width, and height? Is the masonry creating the bed sides mortared or interlock or drynstacked? Is there irrigation under the paving that goes to the beds or will all watering need to be done with hoses across the paving? Watering will be important because that amount of paving will be hotter than an equivalent amount of lawn or other greenery. For any future projects like this, the plantings shouldn’t be an after thought. The beds should be designed such that there is sufficient space for the plants you want in them. With grass, beds can be readily changed, but with hardscape, it is difficult at best.

The sketch looks lovely, but I honestly don’t think it is entirely realistic. You need a plan view of the area so that you can place realistically sized mature plants of whatever you want to plant so that you can see if there is actually space for them to grow in a healthy manner. If you decide to use crape myrtle, there is an enormous range of size and hardiness with them, so choose accordingly. After a polar vortex winter, they may be starting over again from the roots, depending on depth and duration of cold.

I believe my sketch is entirely realistic & you have nothing to worry about with hardy crape myrtles. They are all over coastal NY & NJ. Also, you have to look no further than street tree plantings in NYC to see Zelovas in confined spaces without irrigation.

A substitute tree for crape myrtles, which will give the same effect is vitex.https://www.southernliving.com/garden/grumpy-gardener/chaste-tree-is-pure-delight

Focus on one thing at a time. Splitting your focus allows your mind to wander away from completing single task.

Finish decluttering your room first. You can’t start this project until you’re done with that one first. That’s a classic tactic to distract. Not falling for that, and neither is your wife.

Finish your room.

It is pretty interesting to see the responses based on those with a strong horticultural and landscape design background and those who do not :-) It is really quite telling.......

That small bed will not grow a tree, even a dwarf hardy variety. It is encased in brick, which is then surrounded by brick, and so will heat up the soil inside it unnaturally, and also dry out quickly. The roots won't be able to spread to find water, but anyway water will immediately evaporate in such an environment. Rainfall will runoff that yard into the street and not stay in the yard. Plantings there will have the same fate of drying out. The entire area is literally like an oven. The reason pizza ovens have brick in them is so the crust will get crispy. You've done that to your front yard.

And that's summer conditions. In winter, the tree's roots will not only be too dry, but also be unprotected from cold. Long Island is located within the "USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 7a and 7b, which experience annual average minimum temperatures of 0 to 10 F". No tree will survive that winter if it is in that bed.

I do not know what the OP was thinking by all that brick. It was really a wrong choice. I'd rip out most of it if you want any greenery, and also if you would like your house's AC bills not to be astronomical. I bet your neighbors don't like what you've done to the appearance of the block. And come time for re-sale, your home now has no curb appeal.

I guess we should ask the original poster if the planters are open to the subsoil. If so, the trees shown or other trees will grow there. Just look at the links I have posted in that area that are growing trees in similar conditions.

Dig Doug's Designs - I looked at the link which does not show similar conditions to the OP's yard. It doesn't matter whether the planters are open to the subsoil. Water runoff. Do you see how water will not be available to the entire area? The brick covered yard will prevent water absorption there. The heat of the brick will cause rapid evaporation of any water that is absorbed. And did you notice the slope of the yard? Not only will the brick prevent water absorption, and increase evaporation, but the rainfall will run to the street due to gravity and lack of anything to stop it. And the sidewalk and street will prevent water absorption there. It's a raised small planter surrounded by brick. There is also the issue of lack of winter protection for the roots. You do not appear to take real conditions that are pictured into account for your vision.

Your missing the point, this is the same application as any street tree planting. The picture of the Brooklyn Botanical Garden shows three very large crape myrtles confined by paving. The distance above grade on those trees is very near the same as these short planters. In this case there is only one tree. The planter is not as small as you think.

Further, I absolutely do take the conditions "into my vision" and have successfully designed & installed this kind of work for over 30 yrs.

Anyone live in NYC here? The trees there get no attention, are surrounded by cement, and are routinely peed on by both humans and animals alike. Also puked on...

It would be a case of survival of the fittest, sure. But I'm pretty sure also that the op won't plant fully grown trees that cost a small fortune, anyway. My local walmart is selling crepe myrtles for 20 apiece (nope...not saying it's the place to go, nor am I recommending them, but we've planted them and they're thriving with our neglect.)

We have also grown them in the mid-Hudson valley...they did survive with a degree of babying but obviously didn't do as well as in warmer climates.

ETA sorry, Doug. I was writing the same time as you were, apparently. :)

"The planter is not as small as you think."

And how exactly do you know that? Have you measured it? In the front bed, there is a rather compact hydrangea that is taking up a good deal of the space. Logic would say that space is maybe 36-40" at its widest. And the side bed is even narrower!! That is pretty confining quarters for anything that wants to grow to size. Might work for a few seasons but not going to be adequate for a long term planting of size.

I can see from the photo...now tell me why these trees are growing well?

I don't need to explain what I know works well. The poster can use my idea or not. It will work regardless of what you post to the contrary.

The front paver is approx 8’ long and 4’ wise at the widest point. The side paver is approx 13’ long and 2’ wide. Bother pavers are filled with soil and have sprinklers in them. There’s a pretty cool iOS app called iScape that I created the following with.

Very rough sketch but included what I believe it would need

So glad you took the advice and ran with it :-/

Good luck op.