Purple leaf sandcherries get 13 feet high and 10 feet wide. They're the size of a really big lilac. Far too big to plant where you are showing them. Maybe one on the side, at least 5 feet away from the house.

Your bed should be about 5 feet wide, and have some shape, not just straight across. You also need some evergreens so it does not look bare in the winter. Also nice to have something like a few Red Osier Dogwood with bright red stems. Looks good in every season.

Can we see what the house looks like now, without that brown strip hiding the porch etc?

Others with more of a green thumb will probably weigh in soon, but I agree with Partim to consider a few evergreens shrubs or dwarf trees to have year 'round appeal. Smaller garden centers can help you out with a great design.

Paint your downspout white to blend in with the siding. Treat yourself to some larger, handsome house numbers. Down the road, a white wood railing extended all the way to the house edge, with the top painted dark gray or black to echo your roof, would give your entryway a porch feeling as would a chunkier support pillar.

Hmmm I had downloaded a picture without the mulch but it didn’t show apparently.

hmmm the garden center actually recommended the sand cherries, they said you can keep cutting them down to a Shrub height.

im also not a fan of evergreens which why I didn’t include them, for some reason I don’t like the look of them, but I guess I need to get over that! which ones would you Recommend?

And yes! I agree about the numbers, pole and the railing! That’s my project after the garden lol

Definitely work with a garden center designer to invest in perennials, some evergreens, and suitable plants to be placed in a much deeper front garden bed. Not everything has to be done at once, but have a design plan so you can avoid just putting in random plants.

Start an Ideabook and check Pinterest for "front cottage gardens" for Zone 6A.

Put a sand cherry on the corner of the house where it won't block the windows. Plant a variety of lower shrubs that will naturally stay under the bottom of your window, using a variety of evergreens and perennials with different foliage and colors. If you plant something that has to be constantly pruned you will be pruning off the flowering parts and still end up with overgrown plants, woody bottoms, and blocked windows.

What kind of sun exposure does that bed get? Is the driveway side sunnier?

It’s south facing with no shade, sunny and hot.

You might prefer a mix of evergreens with leaves plus some with needles. For example holly or Euonymus Fortunii (also known as wintercreeper). The Emerald Gaiety has attractive white and green leaves.

"... they said you can keep cutting them." Just how people want to spend their time! I'd be looking for a low shrub or tall groundcover.

What are the plants you currently have? It looks like you enjoy gardening. I would use what you have and add small shrubs or medium height perennials.

There are shrubs inclined to stay smaller. If they are grown in your area maybe small Spirea like Little Princess or smallest Weigela.

Could you take a photo showing the yard and the entrance from out in the road?

Pawnee Buttes sand cherry is a wonderful, low growing, shrub - one of my favorites.