Also, is your current door painted? It sort of blends into the stone, and a stronger color might draw the eye more.

I'd talk to a local nursery about plants that would do well in your planters and fit the care you're willing to give. They probably have plenty of ideas.

Thank you Stacey! The top step is only 11" deep. The middle part (in front of the doors) is 34" deep but I would not be able to put 2 planters since the right door opens.

I would certainly love a bench; any ideas as to style (given I would like to go for modern farmhouse if possible)?

For plants, I have two hydrangeas (far left and a smaller one on the right side). Middle bush is something I wouldn't mind taking out (it looks okay and doesn't flower much). The right one near the house is a potentilla, and there are a few hostas. I love my handrangeas (I don't mind getting rid of the rest!).

Actually, I am starting over my flower beds behind the house. I need help with those too! We have various kinds of annuals and perrenials right now and it just doesn't work. I was thinking white handrangeas everywhere. Good idea? The flower beds overlook the river. I will post pictures in a second!

Thank you acm! Funny you say that (no they are as bought and look a very beigy colour) because I told my husband last week that we should perhaps paint the doors because I think it could bring some appeal (he is not deco oriented and bluntly said - no way). What colour would you have in mind though?

Your house has no contrast. Paint the front door. I'd paint the fascia and gutters, too.

For landscaping, either hire a landscape architect or go pick the brains of the horticulturist at the best nursery in town.

I have many relatives in the Toronto area, their yards are beautiful, I would consult with a local landscaper for advice ... your climate is challenging.

Thank you Groveraxle; any suggestions on the color though?

Yes agreed; I guess I have tried the horticulturist before and they are quite busy not easy to get someone to help (for more than 2 minutes). Maybe I'll have to hire someone but I was really trying to avoid paying for one and doing it myself (but as you can see I haven't been able to do much by myself!).

Thank you K Laurence; agreed it is challenging (I hate that all houses around me appear to have figured it out I guess they all consulted a landscaper ;)). I guess it will be more complicated than expected. I think the fact that my husband wants everything to be "quick and easy" doesn't help!

Stacey Collins - Just realized the door has to be painted - I am looking at it from inside the house and it is white...not beige like the exterior...

Wow, what a difference does this make! Okay I think I get your point. And seriously the added flowers in the same color scheme is lovely. Painting the fascia really wasn't something I thought could be done (either because it's simply too complicated/time consuming, the paint won't stick or our Canadian winters will destroy everything). I am very (okay extremely) visual. So seeing something like this really really helps. Which is why it is difficult for me to make choices because it's difficult for me to imagine it in real life.

Groveraxle, would you have a second option for color (if ever my significant other doesn't love the first option)? Just putting it out there, he's quite stubborn...

You could use almost any color you like here as long as it's not too gray and not too dark. Here are a couple of greens, BM Urban Nature and Weekend Getaway:

Even black would have more interest than the current door.

Here's your door in black with the current fascia:

Just a little more contrast makes a big difference.

WTH on the the downspout tailpiece ...? It is aimed in the opposite direction of correct.

The hardscape does not seem like the kind you can "busy up" and get away with it. The elevation difference being so minimal from one level to the next demands low plants. And the windows demand shrubs that don't get taller than their sills. It seems to me that color will mainly need to go in spots in containers. Or maybe you could find a low groundcover that adds some color.

The landscape wall could benefit in being framed by a mowing strip (another place to add contrasting color.)

Yes I actually like the green and black too; would you go for charcoal fascia with any of these colors too? And please be honest, how complicated is painting front doors?!

oh and fascia, it Wouldn’t be easy to paint the back of the house, it’s a walk-out so...

Ontario is a pretty big province. What USDA planting zone are you in? Zoom in on this map and you can tell. It's also helpful to know the closest big city, for soil types etc. http://planthardiness.gc.ca/?lang=en&m=24&speciesid=1000000&phz=usda1981-2010

Love the colors suggested by Groveraxle, especially the first one.

As for the landscaping, you can hire a landscape designer who will provide you with plans which you can implement yourself over a few years as time and money allow. It sounds like you are looking for ideas for front and back of the house. It requires planning to accomplish this successfully and provide a cohesive look.

That said, landscaping is often undervalued aspect of a home”s appeal. It’s remarkable how the “feeling” of a home changes when landscaping is thoughtfully installed.

I like the idea of planting colorful annuals to play off the new color of the door. You can change it yearly if you like.

And as for your husband wanting “quick and easy” there’s only way that happens, and it’s by shelling out cash for someone else to do it. And even that‘s not “easy.” If he’s not into making the house more appealing, then he should step aside and let you get it done.

By the way, I really like your house. Is it stone all the way around?

Thank you partim! I’m in USDA zone 4a. Closest big city is Ottawa half an hour away!

Thank you Anna! I think I will have to go with a landscape designer. The back of the house has huge flower beds as well and we keep wasting money because we’re not doing it quite right.

I’ll have to tell my husband to step aside I have so many ideas in my head but can’t seem to make them happen for various reasons including this one. Imagine, we decided to renovate the main bathroom 6 months ago - we have done nothing yet. Sigh.

Thank you! Yes it‘s stone all around!

This is a hard time of year, everything can seem so blah after winter esp if the garden has no winter or spring interest. You may need some evergreens like juniper, maybe some low plants to drape over your “stone” edging, like moss phlox, veronica, lady’s mantle or moneywort. The shrubs you currently have may be OK, it’s very hard to tell when you don’t even know what some of them are. Zone 4 can be kind of restrictive.

Hi Rasberry, your home is beautiful and deserves good landscaping, wishing you good luck, from here in Ottawa too :-)

http://www.mgottawa.ca/

In the front, you can't go wrong with the classic combination of evergreens + annuals. The evergreens are what is really missing from your plan. They will give your landscaping shape and color all year.

Although your stone work is very beautiful as it is, it would look even better with some softening elements that would draw attention to it. By that I mean that in some places you would have plants that would grow over the flat top stones, and then fall over. That type of plant is very attractive in beds like yours where you have a change in level.

You need a tall evergreen on the far left, that would define the edge of your house. Also, it's really the only place that you can put something tall. The bed closest to the house should have evergreens as the back area, that are about as high as the bottom of the windows. It's OK if some of the shrubs cover it a bit. In each bed there should be at least one evergreen that cascades over the edge of the stone.

Depending on how much sun the bed gets, a carpet Juniper would look nice cascading over the edge. You may need a dwarf varieties of shrubs since your beds are small. Or evergreen ground covers may be a better choice - some of them cascade nicely.

Leave space for annuals. With your short blooming season and fairly small space, annuals may be a better choice because they give you good color all summer long. Also, some of them cascade (e.g. petunias or million bells) which will also look good. I'd also put in a few patches of the very early spring flowering bulbs (e.g. kaufmania tulips) just because it's such a thrill to see the first flowers. They stay in the ground as the leaves whither, and the annuals you plant around them will cover them. Daffodils keep their leaves for a long time as they whither, so I prefer them in a further-away bed, rather than a front bed.

Your back is a different story. You're probably not out there much in the winter, but I'd still put in some evergreens, including cascading ones. And that's where I'd put perennials and hydrangea panniculata. If you can see any of those beds from the house in the winter, a nice choice is a dogwood shrub - their red stems are just beautiful against the white snow. The hydrangea panniculata have dry flower heads that last through winter and look nice with the snow topping them. They come in every size from dwarf to huge. Some of them grow large so you don't need that many, and they'll be visible from the house.

For any plant, check the tag (or online) for the mature height and width. You don't want to plant something that will outgrow its space and need replacement - you want to be "once and done". And leave some space so the plant doesn't touch the house.

If you go on a Saturday afternoon in May to any garden center in Canada, it will be very very busy and the staff will not have time to help you. Maybe you could call and ask what is a slow time and day for them so you can get some advice. Or, pay for a consultation. I know that Sheridan Nurseries has a fairly inexpensive program if you buy the plants from them, and they have a good selection.

A cottage garden usually doesn't have many evergreens. I think it looks better in a back yard than a front, because the curb appeal is not there in winter or when there isn't a whole of bloom in this small space.

That's where I prefer the evergreens, for an area like Ottawa that has a short blooming season compared to the classic English cottage.

It's also higher maintenance than evergreens, and the OP wanted low maintenance.

To be honest, I love the masonry work, it’s amazing, if you look at the details around the door and windows you will have a light contrast to bring out the look of the stone, The interlock in My opinion should be Solid and light.