Cearbhaill, when you threw this house out as an example on the foundation planting thread, I thought it was very helpful in promoting a more tangible discussion. It is helpful for my own thought process to have it more fully fleshed out in this thread. I also really like modest homes. I particularly like the bed lay-out yaarkvark proposed. I think it works either with or without the small tree between the windows. The bed could be simplified by using mulch instead of a ground cover. It might be worth while to invest in good edging to make mowing easier. I'm no expert but have a few photos from my time scouring the web that you might find interesting. Both of them use a rock bed right around the house and very simple plantings placed away from the house [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/asian-contemporary-contemporary-landscape-milwaukee-phvw-vp~329038) [Contemporary Landscape design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/contemporary-landscaping-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_728~s_2103) by Milwaukee Landscape Designer Ginkgo Leaf Studio [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/lafayette-residence-modern-exterior-austin-phvw-vp~303206) [Modern Exterior design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/modern-exterior-home-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_736~s_2105) by Austin General Contractor Texas Construction Company From your description it sounds like the motivation for improvement is to help the house sell down the road, but when the time comes to sell, the location will offer much of the appeal. For what it's worth, I would do whatever makes your mom and you the most happy (thinking especially about your time commitment) and not feel obligated to make upgrades.

Viburnums and mock orange are pretty, but they only bloom for a short time. They also get quite large and would block your window. Knock out rose (and possibly other roses) could bloom well since you get some pretty intense afternoon sun there, and they bloom all season (are thorns ok with you?) Do you want something tall to block the window, or something shorter?

We are currently building a house with a back porch that faces West in South Louisiana. Our porch is pretty deep and seems to keep the sun out of the living room from what we can tell so far. I was looking to see if I had any good pictures, but I don't have great ones. I have one from framing that looks out from the living room into the back porch. I also have a picture here of that portion of the plan. You'll see how the back porch is very tucked in behind the garage also. I am actually afraid we won't get much natural light at all from such a deep porch. We went very heavy on lighting during electrical, with lots of dimmers and separate switches, because I'm not crazy about a dark house. We didn't have a lot of options if we wanted to block out that westwardly sun.

virgil fine art knows the rules, and how to make them work. we did some of the shape changes he mentioned on our west face. anywhere we had openings or significant glazing, a deep inset or porch shields the glazing from the sun. plus trees i think? cpartist did the same with her southern exposure. I seem to remember she did a courtyard design, and a shaded patio, very typical in hot climates. but, i could be wrong, there. Its really all about recognizing the effects of the sun travel, and using your lot, and correspondingly your home design, to the very best advantage. and, de, i think you said you have children. An outdoor space, with some shade, after school , will certainly help to encourage the kids to get outside, and off the phones and computers. . We're empty nesters now. But, we still enjoy having an outdoor cool space, with breezes in the evening. our typical winds are onshore/ offshore, east west. storms are north, and typical afternoon rain comes from a southerly wind shift. We had a lot to work around We oriented porches for privacy and shade, and wind . With your big lot, you can have several porches , and have somewhere that works year round, in any weather. I know in Texas you said your lot is a small patch, but in my neighborhood, your lot would probably have four to six homes... best of luck. I'm glad you are calling in some pros. keep studying. it helps to know what to ask, and to understand why your architect wants to change things up. do keep a big south patch of roof for solar. invest your money in the very best design, and windows, insulation, and roof that you can afford. In our climate zones, a highly reflective, highly emissive metal roof will be one of your best investments, along with serious roof instulation. keeping your roof design uncomplicated will make it a little less expensive, easier to maintain, and often, prettier, too. look to the regional old homes in your area. before air conditioning, deep porches with lower roofs, and natural ventilation gave a lot of relief in hot climates . Those deep porches still give you relief, from energy consumption, even if you never open the windows. I think your chosen lot is lovely. but, take some time and study to build the best you can. Many of us are in your corner, and applaud your efforts to build a zero energy home. That's not easy in any climate zone.