Sorry to leave you to deal with our crazy Chinese friend all by yourself. I think you're quite right not to block the windows and as such to go with perennials. The problem with that is that for a good portion of the year you will have empty dirt or dead foliage, as you point out, but on the other hand perennials are interesting to watch up close because they are changing every day and maybe attracting bees. Nonetheless I'm not sure I would put the garden there, but rather outside the main sidewalk. But since the bed is there, you might as well try it, and you can always change it. Plants can be moved. If you are new to this I agree with leaving the grass where it is for now, not expanding the beds. See first what your gardening personality is. I think you'll find your planned planting amazingly sparse at first, and will have a lot of weeding to do before it grows in. So maybe be sure to mulch when you plant, but even so, you will have to be vigilant. Regarding your focal point shrubs, something tall and rangy like a hydrangea might make the doorway seem cramped - for that reason I'd tend to put the height near the outside corners, not near the door necessarily. Near the door I'd go with something narrow and ideally pretty up close. There is a narrow shrub I love called Ilex crenata "Mariesii" or else there is a columnar golden yew. Tall pots with clipped boxwood might also be fun, but the obviously need to be clipped. Just some thoughts; good luck. KarinL

Start with going across the street and taking a photo of the whole front of the home and property. Also, measure the flower beds so we know length and width since what you can plant there depends on space available. What direction does this area face? I would plan on doing prep and planning this summer and actually doing the new planting in the early fall, in September. With that amount of concrete, the area will be stressful for new plants in the heat of summer. What are your goals? Curb appeal? Enjoyment of sights and scents as you sit on the front stoop? Creating separation or privacy between the walk and the house? How wide is the concrete porch? Wide enough to be useful for sitting? If not, is it a necessary part of the foundation or house? If it isn't useful and necessary, you might want to remove it. If you will be keeping it, I would add a railing for safety and to make it look more finished. I would also create a holding bed behind your house to plant any plants that you might want to keep unless you want to just leave things are for most of the summer. You can always dispose of plants later if you decide you don't want them, but if you get rid of them now, you won't have that choice later. (The exception would be the obedient plant, which I would just get rid of as it won't stay under control.) That will allow you to work on improving the soil before your fall planting. I agree with you that right now the spirea is poorly placed. It looks crowded against the house and is poorly pruned right now. I would dig it up, prune it back hard, and plant it in your holding bed. It will regrow. What will be going on in that space between the houses? Is it yours? Do you want to plant it as a shade garden or be able to walk between the houses or hide that space (for instance if you store trash cans there)? Do you need it to get materials into your back yard?

The rose plants may have lovely blooms, but I agree that the small, narrow bed is not the right place for them. Can they be moved elsewhere? Once that is done, I would consider digging up the sod to enlarge the bed and making an herb garden. The bed design can be geometric or informal, from an intricate knot pattern to homespun exuberance. Look on the internet or in the library or at the nursery to see what approach would appeal to you. The plants may be chosen according to your culinary preferences, fragrance appeal, visual impact - and budget. Herbs are not just annual but also perennial or self-seeding or easily propogated by cuttings. They come in various heights and forms and can be quite tolerant of artistic grooming if you want to get creative. Herbs are also low maintenance as to water and fertilizer. Their biggest need is sun, which it looks like you already have.

Wow, what a transformation! I showed my husband and my daughter and they were shocked at this possibility :)