There are different ways to accomplish the same objectives, depending on your taste and what kind of garden work you like to do. If you like a densely-planted look, you can cut many plants back every year (usually right after they bloom, but look this up) so that they stay within boundaries. If you like a more spaced-out look, then you could reduce the plant density. You could perhaps move some of the azaleas to be among the roses? Even then, the plants will need pruning to continue to look nice - and because even for more space, they can get too big! I agree not to move shrubs at this time of year, but what I would suggest you do with the hostas while they are in leaf is separate out the green from the variegated leaves if you want to keep those as separate plants. Not sure how this happened - either you have a variegated plant that is "reverting" to green, or you got some root balls of one mixed in with root balls of another. You can do this in late summer once there is some prospect of rain, or if you do it earlier, be sure to water when you replant. Hostas are pretty tough plants anyway. Karin L

Let's make this clear (to me). I'm confused, I guess, because azaleas should do just fine with morning (only) sun. Are you saying that the white FLOWERS turn brown so fast or that the entire plants are croaking for some reason? If it's just the flowers, then I'd suggest that you replace the azaleas with more azaleas, but of a different color. The fungus disease that attacks azalea flowers seems more common on white ones, for some reason. This disease, called Petal Blight, can be prevented by a combination of horticultural housekeeping and timely applications of fungicide. If the whole plant is dieing, then I still say that you need to figure out why before planting anything else. I'll respectfully suggest that Nandina dometica is probably not the best of choices for you. As pretty as it is, it is happy to achieve heights of 8 feet (or more). Considered an aggressive grower, you'll be cutting this plant back more than once per year. But the more serious issue is that of it's status as an invasive plant. A highly invasive plant. It is often on the top ten list of the worst offenders, especially in southern states. Research has been on-going to produce more sterile cultivars than exist now, and it will be worth watching to see what happens. Right now, "Fire Power" is one of the cultivars that will not flower nor fruit. Some people don't like the coloring of that particular Nandina, though. Some of the other dwarf Nandinas were reported to be sterile when they first came out, but revert pretty quickly. Also, even the non-fruiting varieties are still able to form thickets by suckering and underground rhizomes. http://santarosa.ifas.ufl.edu/documents/lg_nandina.pdf Above is a fact sheet from UFL that discusses the problems with Nandina and what we can do prevent this invasive species from causing problems in our own communities. Here is a link that might be useful: More information

I've done that in the past. We ended up with a free artifical tree one year. I put it in the middle of my narrow front porch in front of some windows. Then I strung dark red lights and glittery garland. It was pretty and fun. I'm trying to remember how I weighted or secured it....don't recall. My mom used to wrap boxes with a brick in them to put around the trees out front. That was always fun. I like to put decorative pillows on the wicker...I usually just wrap an outdoor pillow in holiday fabric and secure with safety pins. Lights, a pretty wreath...those are classic around here.

There's really nothing bad looking about the foundation part of the porch itself so I wouldn't be keen on trying to cover it all up. Seems like covering up as much as the lower 1/2 would be plenty. Something a little higher on the sides would be OK. A little tree off of either corner might be good, too. Insisting on evergreens in climates where low ones are far and few between seems like asking a lot. Once shrubs develop sufficiently, I think the thick, brushy effect of bare branches in the winter can actually be quite handsome and it opens up the potential plant palette a lot. It takes a little time to develop the brushy effect, but not that much in the overall scheme of things. (Finding low evergreens with some sort of showy bloom is even harder.) I think I would be happy with one of the dwarf Japanese Spiraeas for example. Or groundcover and some annuals. Would be nice to widen the walk -- or at least a landing -- to the width of the steps.