Ok, here's what I would suggest, but keep in mind I'm not a landscape designer. However I have been thinking and reading a lot about house fronts lately because I'm re-doing the front of my house too. First, let me say that your house is very pretty, and it looks to me like you've got a terrific opportunity now to make your dream garden. That gorgeous tree is in the perfect spot and the natural grass pathway between it and the pachysandra bed in front of the house is very nice. I'd keep the pachysandra (it's a beautiful bed) but mix shrubs right in with it -- some evergreen and some flowering, so you have color in the spring and summer. Just dig the holes for the shrubs right into the pachysandra, and either toss what comes out or transplant it to the other side. (Think how much you'll save on mulch every year!) Before choosing which specific shrubs to plant though, I'd think about height and placement. Looking at the house straight-on, you want to see some balance, though the two sides of the porch don't have to be mirror images of each other. The tree adds height on one end of the house, so I'd plant something tall and full at the other end too -- something like a lilac, on the corner by the downspout, where you would also see and smell it from the side porch windows. What comes to mind next is to add height on each side of the front door to frame it and make it look inviting. Since your porch looks wide, you might consider 2 large containers, each with a tall, narrow evergreen, something like 'Green Tower' boxwood. Right next to the porch on each side, you could plant taller shrubs on the pachysandra side than on the other because the windows are higher from the ground there. Just keep in mind different shapes, sizes, and shades of green to make it look interesting, and put smaller bushes in front of the larger ones, varying the height here and there. Unless you're in the very top west corner of NJ, you're in zone 7, which gives you a lot of choice! Before considering specific shrubs, though, about how many hours of sun does the front of your house get during the day?

emmarene - Thank you- I loved the suggestion for Iberis; have never grown (or noticed it). It sounds wonderful and I will be looking for some. You're right about the size - my hydrangeas to the left of the front door are 6' wide and they're brushing the side of the house. Yes, I think I could be happy with only perennials. However, I have learned to listen to the expertise on this forum. Most of my favorite features in our kitchen came from suggestions and input here. mad_gallica - I went outside and measured the add'l 5 feet and yes, the difference is not significant. Thank you for the clear direction. I like your suggestions but will need help on shrubs. I'm starting to get quite embarrassed about asking DH to start so close to the house. (Nothing worse than wasted time and effort, especially when the specs change-just not fair to him). Goal is to improve upon what we have. Today, driving around, I saw so many planting combinations which I disliked. What we have currently - single row - works. Here's a fall shot. What we put in should be much better (and yes, visible from the circle/street). You can see that I'm trying to fill in empty spaces here (below the windows). Dug up so far is around 7 yards; we can buy a combination of screened loam and compost for $30/yard. My thinking now is to fill the existing hole; leave a strip (of rocky soil), and then start digging again. I still want to plant bulbs and perennials easily, so we'll continue the process of removal and fill. I still stand by my definition of rocky! Soil samples from the yard are barely a few inches deep, when I collect them. Digging a new hole can take 30 minutes for a new gallon perennial (used to use my mantis at times, too). But yes, if we're planting shrubs, with the backhoe, the process should be quite easy going forward (happy thought). Some of the rocks which were removed when we extended our foundation a few years ago are as large as 4' x 3' x 3'+, not negligible :) (Our contractor wanted to take them away 'for us' but I thanked him and said we would like to keep them). I have Chief Architect and also Sketchup; will make a scale drawing with a 10+ foot bed. (Excellent suggestion). Then will solicit input for shrubs.

Thanks - to answer a couple of questions, I am in Z 7 - I think I said that in my original post. DC Metro area. The infected roses have not yet been dug up - that will be done by the same company that will be replacing them, and I'm not sure what the little round evergreen bushes are. Also to clarify - my house is on the tour primarily for the "home" part of "home and garden" - my yard is nice but definitely not the feature, as is the case with most of the other houses as well. I don't know much about gardening, other than raised bed veggie gardening (what I know about rose rosette disease came from googling "what's killing my knockout roses") and have a service come to mow/weed/prune/etc., so I'm not sure I'm the best person to be educating people about anything...I just wanted the house to look as nice as possible curb appeal-wise before hundreds of people come tromping through. That's very helpful about Miss Kim. Maybe given the time crunch I will just have this landscaping co. replace the roses in the back yard which are completely dead and crispy as I think I can find some plants and shrubs I'll be happy with back there, and hold off on making decisions on the front...the roses in the front are not in quite as bad shape as the ones in the back. (this landscaping co. is well regarded locally and offering a 20% discount to houses on the tour, which is why I wanted to use them and do this now if possible).

The area could use some rounded natural shapes to contrast with the angles...some softening. Curved plantings along the foundation, in the lawn and as paths, with stepping stones, mulch and rock. Lay out bender board in pleasing shapes and fill areas with mixed materials. Make a focal point of the front steps with your big flower pots, one on each side. As far as what grows in your soil type and Climate Zone, your local nursery will know. I'm not saying copy these photos, but they show some concepts: Can you create a curved parking pad with rock?