This is my first winter in this house, while I have had this place since March I have done next to nothing out front. I would like to start a large landscaped bed out front and am wondering if it would be worth starting some of it now.

This is a north facing front yard.

Currently I have some small azaleas, flowing crabapple, forcynthia, and rose-of-sharon all of which I plated last spring. There is way too much grass out there and a dense established privit hedge.

What I am thinking because it is rather late to plant here now just place a layer of newspaper down top it with leafs and top that with mulch. This would give me a mulch bed for the winter but hey it will be white for a few months.

I did leafs and mulch for my back gardens last spring with great results which is where I am thinking about repeating that.

Does this sound like a good idea to anyone or anyone have experience with something like this?

Thanks