Another perspective…

This might be a dumb question but... are you allowed to plant something that blocks the meters? Most of the places I've lived the power company has frowned upon blocking easy sight access to your meter. You might still be able to do a temporary/movable something though if you find you can't plant blockers there.
And you should invest in a nice looking hose-house for your hose since it comes right out through that bed. Maybe try to find a taller one on wheels you can park in front of the meter space- help camouflage it and if you get a flat-top one, it can serve as sort of a door side table in that spot too.

It's a difference in neighborhoods and power companies sometimes. I've lived in places where I never saw a meter-reader either. Places where the boxes are very blocked and power company don't mind. I've been living where I'm at now for less than a decade and have seen readers 4-6 times, and there has been servicing to change the meter plates too. Couple years back the power company did some pole replacements, they started doing serious tree trimming along lines last year. This year my lines are getting done.

Anywho.. Another thing to consider when thinking about planting in front of the meter box is how the power lines run from the house. It may not be wise to plant anything in the ground that could get too big or root too deep and potentially interfere with your lines. It may be a good idea to call your local diggers hotline to find out how the lines run from your house if you don't already know.

In front of the basement window. Do you use that window for light into the basement? If so, consider a low growing something in front of it. If it's not so much for light, then you have more height options there. If you open it for air, perhaps fragrant plants would be nice.

Not sure what's going on with your gutter and drainpipe, but you will probably need to fix that up before planting in stuff too. Does your grill usually live in that nook, or just parked there for the moment? If that's it's usual spot, consider planting nothing to the right of the drainpipe area, and instead finish off that nook proper for the grill to live there.

My husband bought a new hose recently and I haven't found a home for it yet. ;) We have a cart reel, but it is a pain to use.

The grill on the side of the house is a Weber BabyQ for camping and tailgating, and was only in that spot temporarily.

The extension on the downspout came loose… that will be an easy fix.

We have three basement windows, and this is the only west facing one (the other two are north facing), so I wouldn't want to completely block out any light from coming in.

I don't remember ever having someone here to read the meter, but I will call to see if there are any restrictions for plantings or some other solution to conceal it.

Any ideas on specific plants and shrubs? Thanks for your responses!

A few more questions... you already have some grasses planted in on the one side. Are you looking to expand on that look round the house? or are you wanting some more other greenery, or want some color? How much maintenance do you want? Lower end of perennials, ground covers, rugged conifers and grasses, bulbs.. or do you like to do regular stuff like pruning, or having annuals? Are you into cooking? You could grow in quite an herb garden in that space.

You could leave the bed sloped open as it is, or terrace up a smidge and wall up that curve of the walks a little and plan in some different gardening too.

Sorry I'm not really suggesting plants yet. But you do live in the chilly NE WI, and I'm not sure really what you want out of the space to start suggesting anything yet.

Here's a wider perspective of our whole patio area. We have grasses, daylillies, echinacea, rudbeckia, monarda, bleeding heart, flower carpet rose, pinks, vinca, a magnolia, a hydrangea, and a newly purchased lavender that I haven't decided where to plant yet. I have other perennials around the house that I could divide and transplant, but I feel like the landscaping around the patio is kind of a hodge-podge of plants that I saved and re-planted when we had the new patio poured a number of years ago.

Unfortunately, I think adding height to that bed would have to be pretty minimal given the exposed height of the window well.

I'm open to all suggestions. I like flowers, shrubs, and ground cover. Color and/or greenery is fine, too. I don't mind garden work. I do cook and have a container with basil, oregano, parsley and chives, and a separate pot with rosemary (my favorite).

Thanks for your questions and suggestions!

I'm not a designer. However, your house reminds me of my daughters. She lives in Connecticut. She also has a basement window below grade but it has a flagstone edging around the area with the window. It is built up to prevent anything from covering it. I'll try to find a picture.

The dirt area you have, my daughter has filled with perennials. She has lilies, tall lilies toward the back and various perennials filling in the space. She does have a hydrangea on the corner (where your downspout is). I think she has a small rose in there somewhere. I know she has a bunch of phlox which gets tall mixed with the lilies. She also has some medium sized sedum-type flowering plants mixed in.

Its very pretty, sort of English garden look but totally informal.

I looked for pictures but couldn't find any of that area. I have lots of the rest of the yard and the front but not that area.

Jane

This would be a good place to run the downspout extension underground to an opening in the lawn further away from the house. if you do this, make sure the company uses a solid PVC pipe and not that flimsy perforated plastic stuff.

I would do the opposite of what I see. I would put the taller perennials and grasses near the house. On the opposite side of the path I would use low plants and ground covers.