What's the concrete in the foreground of the third picture? Driveway, sidewalk? Why make the wide paver path go along the front of the house, it's a path to nowhere. Also, I don't think you are going to want a fence in front of your foundation garden, you've already got a lot of fency lines with the porch railing and the lattice at the foundation.
Great old house!

I think a little retaining wall or a rock garden a the front edge would be an excellent idea, but with some plants other than ivy which is awful stuff. You could just cut the rocks into the slope at the line with your neighbour, or maybe talk to your neighbour and see if they'd like to do their frontage at the same time. If they don't, you'll probably need to consider how you affect their mowing.

Around here dogwoods can take a whole lot of sun, so your environment is unlikely to be too much. I agree you can probably dispense with the fence, but why not plant first, and then add it if you think it is needed.

Sounds like you're going to pave where you and the postie walk anyway, which sounds like a good idea. Making your own pavers is very labour intensive, but if you can be organized it might not be too bad. Of course it isn't done at the same time as you lay them but in advance. Alternatives on a budget would be looking on your local Craigslist for free/cheap blocks or used concrete.

I would actually transport the bed you've planned to the slope you're having trouble with. Then you could have an open space with a good lawn next to the walkway you're planning. Although around here, where lots are the same size as yours and houses very similar, most people (including me) have gardened up almost the whole front yard.

By the way it looks like the dimensions you've given apply to your front yard, not your whole lot, correct?

KarinL

I almost envy you that slope. Different levels add so much interest to the landscape. My front yard is flat, flat, flat and--well I guess everyone thinks their own yard is challenging!

Thanks for the feedback. You've got me thinking. A friend I met online here at GW is coming over today to exchange plants - so we'll bounce around the input you've given.

lpinkmountain - the concrete in the third pic is my neighbor's sidewalk. It's close to the shrubs then wraps around between the two houses.

KarinL - Yes, those are the dimensions of the yard.

I don't think it would look "terrible" to have a retaining wall down at the bottom of your yard where it slopes to the sidewalk. I live in a row house neighborhood where a lot of people have these retaining walls at the bottom, to deal with your same issues. Some people (like me for example) have grass all the way down. It doesn't look bad to have one with grass and one with a retaining wall. What looks bad is to have two vastly un-matching retaining walls side by side. Some of the folks in my neighborhood have gotten together, making retaining walls that span both lots.

Anyway, it seems to me you might be quite happy with a little wall and plantings down by the sidewalk to solve your problem. Plus I know those slopes are a pain to mow. I can't wait until I have enough money and time to put in a retaining wall down at the bottom of my front yard!!

lpinkmountain - thanks for the advice about the retaining wall. I have a lot of plants I could put in there, but as you mentioned, it's the cost of the wall that will be the challenge. Yes, it certainly is a pain to mow!

In my neighborhood, all the yards have inclines like in yours, although our houses are row houses. If you walk along the block, about 80% of the houses have some type of treatment at the slope. A couple of houses went together and have a long expanse of a retaining wall. Some houses have just their own retaining wall. A couple have ground covers planted on the slope--vinca, creeping juniper, and in one case, dragon's blood sedum. (That one isn't very filled in). A couple of neighbors plant colorful annual gardens on the slope, a couple have a mix of perrenial plants and shrubs. My two neighbors and I are the last hold outs of grassy slopes. My one neighbor I think just likes to mow, and me and my other neighbor just haven't gotten around to being able to afford a retaining wall, due to other more pressing household projects inside. I HATE my slope. It isn't that hard to install a small retaining wall but I am just not handy. Nor do I want to tackle it right now since I am dealing with so many backyard issues. So I continue to mow my ugly little slope.

Nice plantings there do give the neighborhood a nice feel. One neighbor even had a rose garden out front, but she has finally given that up!