i would probably.. remove all the old shrubs.. expend the foundation beds to 6 or 8 feet ... and would site plants to allow for future house maintenance ... leaving the entire lawn to traffic issues ... to many peeps plant ON THE FOUNDATION ... with no real concept of future growth ... and then have problems when they need to paint.. wash windows.. clean gutters.. etc ... and when driving.. nothing irritates me more ... than when peeps interfere with drivers sight lines.. by planting so i cant see around the corner... or whats coming at me.. from the cross street ... you really just dont want to be responsible for taking out a kid ... i also dont know what the human attacking rose accomplishes either ... then the only issue left .. for me.. would be the last maple ... its hard to tell from the pic.. but if gravity took over.. does it threaten your gorgeous house??? ken ps: what are the descriptive words for your house ...its obviously not a east coast mid century suburban tract house ... lol .. i would use said term as in the link below.. to SEE how others may have attacked this issue ... as well as taking pix in your local area.. of any landscapes that strike your fancy .... and then maybe we can tell you why they are pleasing to the eye .... https://duckduckgo.com/?q=east+coast+mid+century+suburban+tract+house&t=ffcm&iar=images&iax=images&ia=images

Mulch can be extremely beneficial for your planting beds. But if you'd like to reduce the amount you use, you could use ground covers. They would cover the space and eliminate the need to do much mulching. You can also use gravel or decorative stones (like Mexican Beach Pebbles). Hope this helps!

You need to show the left side of the house to incorporate a landscape design that will work for the entire yard. Some suggestions: --Forget the idea of putting in a lawn that you have to maintain. This is a perfect amount of space for a perennial garden with all native plants that will look attractive year round. Go to a small garden center with your photographs and ask them to give you a plan for the space. --Very tall plants on the side will look very strange given the small amount of space. However, what a good design will do is give you a barrier that separates the space. Again, a design, and not just plopping down plants, have to work with what you have and what's next door. Look how well the house next door to this one is well screened just with a mix of middle-sized and low plantings--grasses, shrubs, ground covers--as well as hardscaping. The most important thing is to have a plan. But you have to find out what planting zone you're in and the lighting and soil conditions you have.

You can amend heavy clay soil by mixing composted cow manure with perlite (to lighten the soil structure), good top soil, and lime (if needed to improve soil pH). If you have accessibility to ground up leaves that have been composted, add them as well (avoid oak leaves, as they are alleopathic which means they impede growth of other plantings). You'll need to dig at least 18" deep, and you can employ a method called "double digging". I did this myself, many years ago, and it markedly changed my soil's tilth. Yes, it takes time and energy, but is totally do-able. In what planting zone/locale are you located? Don't forget to mulch your flowers and shrubs. Check for drainage before planting. Remove any weeds then apply Preen every 3 months to avoid new weed growth. Fluff your mulch every 3 months to avoid "artillery fungus" and don't apply mulch within 18-24" of your foundation. Plan your color scheme to compliment your house color. Find focal points for perennial shrubs, allowing sufficient room for mature growth. Note your sun/shade locations before planting. Insure you have adequate drainage off your property and away from your foundation. Plan for bulbs, if you so desire. Plan for plants that won't attract destructive animals. Think about installing watering systems if you need to avoid spending hours watering by hand. Posting a photo would further assist readers to help you.