Your lovely house reminded me of one I saw years ago in Martha Stewart. The link is to a brief slideshow on the foundation planting for a great wrap around porch mostly in shade. I wish a could post a picture here but that is not working. I always loved this look - lush, full and balanced but also natural and informal. It is hard to explain.

There is at least one planting plan in the show with types of plants (not specific varieties) if I remember correctly the full article had more details. Maybe a local library would have back copies?

Oh, my goodness, Maisie, that link is wonderful! Thank you so much. This helps me tremendously--I can finally start to visualize it. I hate stiff and formal, and this feels so much more natural.

What a great house! I've been think about this . . .

I think your boxwoods just have some winter damage, so I would for this summer just cut out the tan parts which are dead, and leave the rest. You may be quite surprised at how they start to fill in over the next couple of years, and they provide a consistent evergreen backbone, but if they don't you can remove them when you are ready to plant. Leave everything as is for now, except get a scuffle hoe (AKA stirrup hoe) and stir up the mulch or dirt with the weeds several times over about a week so the vast majority of the weeds die. Then put down cardboard (go around the plants) and add mulch over the cardboard. Put in a tidy edging to keep the grass out, either a deep cut V or a buried plastic or metal edging with a line of bricks along the inside edge to give the mower wheels a surface so you don't have to edge it. This will give you at least a tidy look for this season while you plan. If you want to, put a couple of large pots with flowers at the stair base. All the beds should come out at least as far as the landing at the bottom of the steps so you have room to layer in the plants rather than just have a single row. You can make it as deep as you want, but leave some room at the back to do maintenance. My foundation beds range from 6'-12' deep.

Then you should start planning. Watch carefully how much light each side of the house gets. For instance, the side with the big maples will be both shadier due to the overhanging trees and drier due to the maples' roots. You can get a soil test done to see if your soil is acid or if it is alkaline or neutral as far as pH, and also see what the texture is (clay or sandy or loamy or most probably a mis of all 3.) See if water stays in a a hole for a really long time or if it drains relatively quickly. Think about whether you want the plants to come above the level of the porch or if you like the open view of lower plants from the house and looking at the house.

Starting now, begin looking at and thinking about plants:

- Notice that the garden linked above used shrubs and perennials to give longer season interest (though please don't plant them closer than recommended since that will create much future maintenance.)

- Consider foliage (as mentioned in the article) - color, size, shape, and texture. If you only have fine-texture in green, it will be less of the varied look you are going for, so you want a range of leaves that are skinny, broad, ferny, gold, green and variegated to carry the garden when plants aren't blooming. Many shade plants bloom early, so count on foliage and annuals for summer color.

- think about all 4 seasons: evergreens or bright bark or interesting branching for winter, spring and summer bloom and the foliage I already mentioned, and fall bloom and changing foliage color.

- Many of the specific plants mentioned in the article won't work for you, either due to lack of hardiness in zone 4 (oak leaf hydrangea) or wrong light levels (catmint/Nepeta) so you will need to research zone 4 plants that like bright shade, darker shade, and perhaps part sun.

- Visit gardens if there are open garden days in your area, notice ones in your neighborhood and as you travel around. When you see plants you like, post them on the Name that Plant forum or here to get IDs. Look at websites with garden eye candy and get books with photos from the library. That way you will start to find plants that appeal to you.

Here's an article on planning a long border. The repeating part is important for it to look cohesive. Again, many of the specific plants won't work, but it may give you ideas.

Some plants to check out that are hardy for you:

Shrubs and shrub-sized perennials:

Hydrangea paniculata/panicled hydrangea comes in various sizes from 3'-12', is long blooming, but likes at least a half day of sun or all day bright shade.

Hydrangea arborescens/smooth hydrangea such as Annabelle - bright shade to morning sun. various long-blooming cultivars are pink, lime, or white, but all are about 4'

Red-twigged dogwood (Cornus alba or C. sericia) come in various heights and will give you winter interest as well as some have variegation or nice fall color. Will want part sun.

Kalmia latifolia/mountain laurel - evergreen and likes full shade to part shade

Aralia 'Sun King' - large with gold foliage, but a perennial - part or bright shade makes the gold brighter

Kerria japonica - part shade

Any of the 'Lights' series of deciduous rhododendrons/azaleas - bright shade or part sun; spring flowers and fall color; needs acid soil

Blueberries will grow in part sun and have flowers, berries, and fall color; needs acid soil

bulbs:

Daffodils - pests don't bother them and they are long-lived. Plant behind perennials so the dying foliage is hidden. Need half to all day sun.

Allium Purple Sensation - part sun to full sun, but another bulb that critters won't eat

Perennials:

Astilbe - full shade to morning sun is fine as long as it doesn't dry out.

Hosta - huge range of foliage size and color but deer like them. Part to full shade.

Jacob's Ladder/Polemonium

Primrose - not all like shade or will be hardy, but most will be

Siberian iris - Wants 3-4 hours sun or more to bloom well.

Polygonatum/Solomon's seal has variegated types

Crested iris - spring bloomer, full shade is fine. spreads slowly.

Digitalis - some are perennial and some biennial; toxic; half sun to full shade

Ferns - shade is fine, though there are an enormous number of kinds and not all will be hardy for you

Aquilegea/columbine - mostly sun to mostly shade

Dicentra (AKA Lamprocapnus)/bleeding heart - mostly shade to mostly sun

Hellbore - mostly shade to mostly sun

Epimedium - part to full shade

Closed gentian - part shade, moist

Brunnera is available with green or silver-patterned leaves full to part shade

Aconitum - shade is fine, but may look better in brighter shade to part sun; toxic

Pulmonaria/lungwort - silvery patterns on leaves and pink/blue flowers

Ligularia

Mertensia/Virginia bluebells

Phlox divericata

Actaea Aka Cimicifuga AKA bugbane - dark red varieties shade is fine

Anemone canadensis (spring) or A. Honorine Jobert (fall) - will spread vigorously, so plant to pull bunches of it out annually

There may be sedges that work, but I am not familiar enough with their zone ratings to be sure

Thalicturm/meadow rue

Tiarella/foamy bells have flowers and many have colorful foliage

Thank you so very much, NHBabs, for the thoughtful response! I really appreciate it. I have so much to learn, and I really appreciate you taking the time to respond so thoroughly. You've given me lots to think about!