Please add your pictures directly to the thread. For some of us who post regularly, it's a time consuming chore to chase after them. One picture per post can be added.

It's a very attractive house, and doesn't need a lot of fussy landscaping in the front; I'd suggest you stick to something simple. Because of the height of the entry steps, the elevation of the front lawn relative to the street level, and the height of the foundation, the overall effect is a little dizzying; this may mostly be the photo, but it's likely to be at least partly the way it would look in person. So, I think the major issue is to tie the height of the facade back to the ground level. One way to do that would be to add a tall-ish, but not too large, accent tree off the left front corner of the house. Something that stays fairly narrow and maxes out at about the height of the gutters (or the lower edge of the roof) might work. Maybe even an old-fashioned lilac, depending on the conditions (sun, soil, etc). This would also balance the much longer right edge of the house (which includes the below-grade garage) with the shorter left edge. Or, you might get more mileage out of two large, but not too wide- spreading, shrubs; one in front of the steps and one to the left of the basement window (placed so it will not block the window when it's full-grown). This would tie the rather high main floor windows back to the ground level (the bottom of the window would be a foot or so above the top of the shrub) and would give a hint of the feeling that you were climbing in the treetops when you were approaching the door - that might be nice! One comment on the other photos, although you're not asking for advice on the other areas. Many of the plantings seem to be too close to the house - a very common mistake, especially with new gardeners, and most especially in small yards. The plants will do much better, and you'll be much happier with the effect, if you leave a few feet between the foundation and the plants. Narrow beds give a skimpy look and make the yard appear smaller and cramped; a wider bed more than makes up for the extra space it takes and makes the yard appear larger. The difference between a 10' wide lawn and a 7' wide one isn't as apparent as the difference between a 2' wide bed and a 5' wide one. I hope you get what I'm trying to say; it's late and I might be babbling a bit! You could improve on the beds in the side yards by using an edging material, such as wooden "bender board", to give some definition to the edges. Your back yard is really nice - those mature trees provide a great buffer from neighbors. It looks like a very relaxed and comfortable oasis; I'd try to keep it simple back there too. And one last point - your lawn looks fine! If you really wanted a uniform green carpet, you could have the back yard rototilled and install sod. Because it's not a large space, it probably would not cost too much - although I haven't priced it out. Otherwise, a few seasons of following the ideas others have given about lawn care should do the trick. I use corn gluten every spring and it makes a world of difference. Keep us posted on your progress!

"I don't know what to mix in this case - any thoughts?" Sorry, but I can't suggest appropriate plants as I've spent little time in your part of the world, and none in northern LA. I've spent several weeks based in NOLA for work, that's it. I just wanted you to be aware that you won't get an even dense hedge of one species with the variability of light levels. I have a more casual style (I live on an old farm) than what appeals to you, so instead of hedges of one species, for the most part I have mixed shrubs, with multiples of each species, mixed along the length of the shrub border. Only in one spot do I have a row of all the same species, and that is in full sun from all sides so that the plants grow at a fairly similar rate. My usual suggestion in this type of situation is that you visit neighborhoods where the gardening appeals to you to get ideas, or if there are garden centers or nurseries with demonstration gardens or if there is an arboretum or public park or botanic garden where you can look at the various types of plantings that they have. To get an ID on a particular plant (if it's not in a situation where it is labeled) take photos of leaves, blooms or fruit, branches and the whole plant, and post on the Name that Plant forum. Or visit the public library and look for books that have landscaping photos for your general area or look at photos here on Houzz that are from your part of the US and see what inspires you. You want to keep in mind that you don't want a huge amount of pruning (so check growth rates once you know names) and that you don't want excessive amounts of shedding of blooms, leaves, seeds, and branches, so something that blooms all summer might be messier than you want to groom. Here's a photo from Derviss Design/Michelle Derviss - she sometimes participates in these forums. Though her area is different (CA coast) it shows a similarly shaped yard with varying light levels around the perimeter and so a mix of plants. She hasn't tried to totally cover up the fence, but there is a mix of different textures and foliage color and varied plant heights. If you look at the closer photos of the pots (go to link below) they also rely largely on foliage rather than flowers. I am not suggesting that you try to emulate this, just that this is one way to approach your problem. http://www.houzz.com/projects/312471/napa-valley-outdoor-living

Why do you want to murder those innocent evergreens?