Quite frankly, I don't think that hedge enhances the look of the pictured house. It looks like a barricade.

In your area hebe should do well, takes pruning well if you prefer formal, also evergreen. Con:. Slow. I completely agree with Ken that we need to understand what exactly you are hoping to achieve. The boxwood by curved entrance does look like a barricade. And planting 5 ft away from house will give you the look but not impede traffic to work on gutters, lights, etc.

Hi Ken and Bossy, thanks for your help. I agree that foundation plants are not sounding like the best idea, considering my lack of space and that there are some utilities that need accessing along the house.

What am I trying to do? In short, I am trying to give my houses architecture/style some "purpose". I am not totally digging the ranch style but I need to make the best of it, and currently we have very minimal landscaping and I am basically starting from a fresh slate. I want to make the yard look "established", which is why I like the foundation plants. I feel like the foundation plants give the house a uniform, PURPOSEFUL look. I guess I dont especially like when it appears that someone just picked a new shrub each year and threw into the landscape, I want it to look planed, and purposeful, I keep using the word purposeful. I hope that helps explain where I am coming from and I am really looking forward to hearing your ideas!!

Is that pic of your house or an inspiration pic? IT looks established now vs. the newly planted look which I guess you're teting to avoid

Ah, my first instinct is not to plant much by your entrance, it is so dark already, maybe some short annuals along curve to lighten the blue paint (pink white orange or combo).

buy a couple of nice specimen shrubs and plant in the middle as shown in 2nd pic. When shopping, ask for size in 10 years to make sure you don't pick something that will swallow your house visually.

How much space is between the house and the walkway on the garage side? I think you could use several on each side, but I wouldn't shear them. They will look more natural, be easier to care for and suit your house better if they are left more natural--which doesn't have to mean "wild". Can you grow abelias in your area? There are several varieties that don't get huge and they are evergreen.

House is wrong style for formal anything. Formal planting is for the spaces in front of buildings with geometrically symmetric facades. Otherwise the formal planting does not go with (match) the style of the building.

Likewise the Antebellum style white column doesn't go with the rest of the house either - your green rambler calls for rambling outdoor elements, like flowing bed shapes and plants grouped in interlocking drifts of one kind each.

And not clipped.