Forgot to add that the right side (looking at the house) gets full sun almost all day. The left gets partial sun as a tree blocks some of the afternoon sun.

You have such a beautiful house, but the hedges seem uninspired. I’m not much of a gardener, so if I had the money I would hire an excellent landscaper to create something worthy of the house. However, if money is a consideration, I came across this photo that shows how lovely it could look with trimmed hedges and the addition of a contrasting border surrounding them. Hopefully a gardener familiar with your zone can suggest what types of plants to try.

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I agree with Ally … I would have them taken out.

The shrubs look to be very healthy and lush. It really depends on how you feel about them as to whether to take them out. Yes , when trimmed back and shaped well they could provide a low privacy screen. Ffpalms idea of planting in front with some color will help lift and start to make the garden your own. Maybe seeking some landscaping quotes will help with working how far back you can prune to create smaller, tidier hedges as a backdop to other plants.

The hedges (trimmed) will be a lovely background to whatever you are going to plant in front of them. :)

The grass is what should be rethought. Shrink the lawn and increase planting beds in front of the hedges.

Could you show us a close-up photo of the shrubs on the right which "grow like crazy"? I'm thinking you should prune & keep the boxwood but remove the fast growers on the right and replace them with a better, lower maintenance choice. Adding planting beds in front of the shrubs is a marvelous idea.

Here’s the best photo I have right now that’s from last October but I can add a better shot when I’m home later if that’s helpful. You can see the bushes are pretty woody underneath, but they grow back fast if you shear the top. And I pruned a couple of the underneath branches to see how they would react and they filled in quickly with green leafing.

They are lovely, healthy-looking shrubs. If you don't like them --- I'm not a fan of hedges as foundation plantings --- dig them up and move them. I'd probably leave the one on the corner, and put two flanking your driveway at the street (leave room for them to perhaps get bigger).

You want to wait until fall, chop off a lot of growth and water, water, water until they are established.

Here’s more photos, Cecely and anyone else. And then the boxwoods from the porch (there’s also a small oak leaf hydrangea behind them).

Thanks for the close-ups. Please keep the boxwoods and oakleaf hydrangea, that will be a nice vignette. Keep one shrub on the far right corner as Sigrid suggested and remove the others.

Your home sets back from the street in a residential neighborhood so I'm not sure how much privacy you need on the front porch. Would you like shrubs that can be easily kept at three feet? Four feet? I'm an azalea lover so I'd use three red azaleas with daylilies in front of them but I'm sure you'll receive many great suggestions.

Good points. Thanks for the ideas!

I am not a landscape architect, and should not be trying to play one on the internet. :) However, my SO's formal training is in that field, so I've spent decades listening to him.

In theory, most people want their front entry to be "pretty", and welcoming you to their home. The front door in particular should say Welcome - not, "you can't see what's hiding behind here, and go away..."

I also have a personal dislike of long lines of rectangular boring hedges just plastered up against someone's house. That's just me - not saying it is right or wrong. It always looks like someone had no actual plan, so they just stuck a few hedges in there and never touched them again.

To get you started - look at what just a little height variation, plant variation and freaking COLOR can do for the front of a home, similar to yours. I am not presenting this as the epitome of good design, but it does show someone who is at least trying! It also allows you to see the front door and creates some nice curb appeal.

The larger shrubs on the right are Euonymus.

Thanks so much!

No more shrubs! Now onto the fun part.

Before any planting I’d get rid of the scalloped edging bricks, enlarge the bed a bit, and sharpen up the edging, preferably without scallops.

I'm concerned about someone stepping off the porch - how high is the drop? You may need to add a railing.

That is going to look so much better!🙂

I so agree with floral UK. Make a nice curved bed there, that wraps around the side. Install a railing, get some nice plants and mulch in there, and your house is going to be so pretty! Love being able to see your pretty front door too, love the glass.

Widening the steps and front walk to the columns or the width of the front door would give a more gracious entry and more emphasis to your front doors.