Need some help figuring out how to do our front yard with minimal cost. I do not expect an overnight change; I'd like to envision a "matured" look in the future and want to start off with the right placement and general types of plants before deciding on the kinds of plants. (e.g. I'm interested in whether we should have a tree vs. a shrub, a succulent vs. tall grass, etc).

The views of the house are from the street point-of-view (viewer is looking east, left is north, right is south). This side of the house thus gets sun from the south/west.

Location: Berkeley, CA

Here was a general first idea I had with a pathway on the left. Post your thoughts and recommendations, and I'll try to post updated diagrams and drawings with feedback!

Thanks!