Beautiful house, love the colors and blue trim. I agree with the above poster to remove the "tree."

I hope you get some good answers here. Something tall and not too bushy would look good in that spot and maybe a second one replacing the tree.

how deep is that planting area, like 3 feet? Is that real wood siding or did you use cement fiberboard?

And count me in as a vote for removing the Schefflera because it just looks terrible jammed up against the house like that.

Thanks for the responses about the tree. I googled the two types and it appears to be tupidanthus. It's only half way to its mature height. I hate cutting down a healthy plant, but...

The depth of the soil there is unlimited. That is, there is nothing under. The siding is wood, redwood. The house was built in 1924. If you look carefully you will see a strip between the footing and the siding. That is Pressure treated wood. When we bought the house the inspector/insurance required us to get the house bolted to the foundation (held in place for the previous 90 years by gravity) and at that time they leveled the house. Towards the middle it had sunk 8".

Still no suggestions for a narrow vertical plant?

That is a very narrow space for most things that get very large; and do you really want a plant hugging that wood wall? You could do a vine of some sort (a lonicera or for example), but you'd have to be religious about keeping it trimmed and thinned-out. Also, anything tall that close to a wall gives roof rats, possums - and others - access to your roof.

I think your best bet would be to install a topiary form for a vine. Any tree or shrub that would get tall enough is going to get too wide and crowd the driveway/pathway.

Yes, a not-overly-vigorous vine on a trellis would give you height and ornament without interfering with the driveway or the wall of your home.

Not a very imaginative suggestion, but heavenly bamboo is attractive and tall-ish, not too wide or bushy.

Thanks. I really didn't want to have any kind of structure to compete with the architecture so I've kind of ruled out the vines. Yesterday I was wandering around the nursery to get an idea when I saw corn seedling/sprouts. I thought- mmmm, tall, narrow, full sun, no big roots....Ok not exactly in tune with the drought resistant theme going on in front, but we do have mostly edibles in the back. Might be kind of weird but it's just for a season.

I think I'll try it and keep an eye out on Craigslist for a mature cactus- cereus Peruvianus or San Pedro, at a good price for something more permanent.

After reading about the dragon plant I think I'll move it to a shady corner. Where it is now gets blasted by afternoon sun.

Do you want a plant with thorns right next to the driveway? Maybe a succulent without thorns. Elephant food (Portulaca afra) is very easy to grow and can get tall.

Without having looked previously at the earlier posts, seeing only the pics, the first thing I thought was that it's a shame, but the tupidanthus would have to go. If it were me, it would break my heart to do so because I also try to not take out anything living and the green of the tree looks so nice there, gives 'life' to the setting.

Wow...not only full afternoon sun, but also reflected heat in a narrow space. That's a tough one. I would want 'green and living' there, but something low for the same reasons as given above. I know you seem to like clean lines and don't want to clutter up the look at that spot, but I would be tempted to go with a lower growing plant and do some kind of metal (or wood) sculpture to give height there at that corner rather than a tall plant. Something clean lined that would not compete with the look of the house

Id put a native flower garden there next fall. No summer water. Poppies, verbena, Chinese houses. Just toss the seed

Maybe a climbing rose

Or if you like the tropical look, a banana plant. It could also even be possible to grow a Mauritius Lychee tree if you used the proper espalier training methods to keep it growing flat against the wall.

See this picture of a flat lemon tree growing up against a wall: http://landscape.net.au/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Espaliered-Lemon-Tree.jpg

How about a Alice Dupont Mandaville,lush dark green leaves,and beautiful pink flowers,you'll need a trellis,but you will be able to control it very well.