The easiest, low maintenance way to add more coziness, privacy and shade to the front of your home is by planting two, maybe three, small trees or large shrubs trained to tree form away from the house out towards the sidewalk.

Your front yard is not deep or far from the street by any measure. It is standard issue suburban. Small trees are all you really have room for. To that end go tree shopping at some good local nurseries. Check out UF IFAS tree lists for central Florida.

Some trees that come to mind are Fern Tree, (Filicium decipiens), Allspice, (Pimenta dioica), Tabebuia - several species, Bauhinia, also a number of choices. Plant some trees in the front yard. That's all you need.

I totally agree with Jan you need a pro in your area. I love palm trees but IMO they do not warm up landscaping.

There was no mention of removing the existing foundation landscape. What is currently there is about as no mess and no maintenance as you can get for the speed of light growth in Florida. Unless the OP has plans to remove everything and start over from scratch, a few select trees planted away from the house will accomplish her stated goals.

@christopher you are right, no plans to remove anything existing. Yes just trees would do the job! Will definitely go with a pro or visit a good local nursery. Thanks for the suggestion!

You have lots of room to add an island planting in your front yard. A stretched out free form island with a couple of large trees. We built last year in FL and did enough landscaping to pass the HOA inspection. We are now seeing what works and doesn't work and what get damaged by our dogs ... they will destroy a plant if a lizard is hiding in it!

I happened to be in St. Armand for the day and saw really interesting landscaping around one of the buildings. Luckily the landscape designer had a sign in one of the beds so I took a photo. I plan on calling and see if they work in my area and can come and jazz ours up. Hurricane Ian didn't help in my area and we lost many fronds on our young palms trees.

Drive around your area and see if anyone has really nice landscaping. Stop and ask the homeowner who they used.

I would go with flower beds from sides with shrubs.

I'd paint the panty hose tan right off the house: ) Add some front berm......call a pro. Lose the "flat' effect

Florida is the land of the "flat' effect. A hump in the front yard isn't going to fix that.

I know it's flat. That's the part that isn't so pretty. : ) It's pancake flat.

Some inspiration

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If the house doesn’t flood, don’t add a berm or anything that will potentially redirect water during a storm.