Maybe it's a Carolina thing - or maybe just MY yard! - but I tried them two years ago w/bad results. They took off and grew vigorously ..... a little too vigorously as they topped the trellis and proceeded to grow into a huge, heavy knot at the top (practically overnight!). Guess I should have been pruning them, but I'd never read of that. Anyway, then I discovered they were a major Japanese Beetle magnet - worst beetle year I've ever had and they were the obvious attraction! Once the beetles finished making lace out of the leaves, the MGs contracted some sort of rust-like disease/fungus and ugly doesn't begin to describe it. By mid-summer I'd had it and tore them all down leaving bare trellises for the rest of the growing year. They were lush, blooming and gorgeous for about a week - not enuf payback for me. Gonna stick w/clematis for my little chunk of dirt. I do love them, and am very sad I can't grow them here so thanks for the beautiful pics above! BTW, I interplanted moonflowers w/the MGs and the moonflowers never made an apppearance. Don't know what that was all about.

Before you spend even a little bit of $$ on a small can of paint for the front door, figure out whether the house exterior (roof, siding, brickwork, shutters, gutters) need any work; and even if it doesn't, are you happy with the existing colors? Planters might work for now while you think about what you want to do long-term. Congratulations on your new house!

The picture is no help. move the camera up to the city sidewalk, in line with the front door, and take a series of slightly overlapping pictures that pan the ENTIRE scene from far left to far right, including neighboring houses in the first and last pics. Unless you move the cars for the picture, we wouldn't be able to see left of drive. Please take when light is good. Above picture much too dark.

Pictures would definitely help you get advice.