Could you add a picture that shows the wall from around the corner, to the right from picture #2 (the wall with AC in front of it)? Please make it a straight-on shot of the wall, not at an angle.

With all the trees, it's likely you'll need to change some of the turf area to be groundcover.

At the circular island of the drive, it would look a lot more neat and tidy if there was a single groundcover in the island. I'd limit the height to 30" or less, down to 8" min. OK to have any trees you want, but have the canopy high enough that it is not hiding the house. On any small trees in that island, you can raise canopy bottom to 50% of total tree height, meaning that it will go up every year until it reaches optimum of allowing house to be revealed. If you're going to have shrubs or perennials in the island, they'd look better if they related to the tree trunks, encircling them, rather than be scattered willy-nilly throughout the bed. They should be large enough to be of a pleasant proportion. If in doubt, go larger.

Thank you Yardvaark. Here is the straight on shot of the North side of our house.

The first is from the property line and the second is slightly closer so the propane isn't in view.

I suggest you construct a low retaining wall at the front right corner of the house in order to allow you to level the grade directly in front of the house. It would look a lot better than having the grade dive off as it approaches the right corner. It wouldn't be possible to do without a low retaining wall on account of the window that is just around the corner.

With the trees, this area looks like it's going to be a groundcover area to me. A shrub below the window, some color by the door and a draping plant that conceals the retaining wall -- plus the groundcover -- is enough to cover all the bases. If the ret. wall is covered up it does not have to look good, but it must function properly.

Thank you Yardvaark. There was sort of a retaining wall there that curved around to the steps when we moved in. It was only two to three blocks high and had fallen apart because of poor drainage so we dismantled it. In the first picture above that is what the round thing is in the circle drive. We just stacked them to get them out of the way. We were thinking a out using some as a fire pit in the backyard.

I think we will need to cut down the tree on the right side of the picture closest to the house. It's two trees that have grown together and one looks like it had a large branch fall off some time ago. Since I think carpenter ants have taken residence in it. What should we replace it with?

Floral_UK, yes we do walk there. That is actually where we buried the drainage tile. I realied you can't see it, but on the brick maybe two feet from the corner of the house is a hose faucet so we do walk there to access that. Otherwise we tend to stay out of the bed but that could be because of the awkwardness of walking on the mound.

I really appreciate all of the ideas. This has been a huge undertaking for us. It would be nice to have the outside finished though.

Update: I wanted to share what I've been working on.

The first picture is our 'island' in our circle drive which I have been clearing out. So far I have hostas and Chocolate Chip Ajuga around two trees, but my hostas are getting wat too much sun at one tree so I'll have to find something else. Plus I inherited a ton of Missouri River Rock which I though I could spread out around the bird feeder and place a bird bath there. otherwise I'm at a loss. It does look so much nicer and cleaner since I cut down the other random large shrubs but now have to dig out the stumps. :(

Yardvaark we took your advice and made a small retaining wall from the corner of the house, and you were absolutely right it makes the bed and the side of the house look so much better.

TBH the hostas may be a place holder for now until I can find a pretty, smaller evergreen but those seem to be hard to come by. The shrub in the middle is a peach Rhodendron and really compliments the brick. It had some evergreen qualities along with the oakleaf hydrangea next to it. I also moved some ajuga I found on the north side of our house to here, and it is finally starting to spread. I'm using the ajuga instead of mulch.

Sorry for the hose and pots I wanted to get a picture before the sun came over and bleached out the picture.

I have been reading the other threads here for a while and something Yardvaark said about framing the house and creating a sort of path to the front door to make it seem accessible and welcoming stuck with me. I hope I am at least on the way to achieving that.

I really appreciate the help I have received and wanted to say thank you. Also if you see something that could be improved upon I am all ears. Thank you again.

Glad you were able to do the retaining wall.

You've probably noticed how many people BLOCK the view to their front door. You can't do that here thanks to your driveway. As long as you don't let the plantings engulf or smother the entrance or house front, you'll be alright. I wish there was something colorful, like impatiens, by the front door area.

When we bought the house there was a five foot tall, half dead boxwood that covered half of the front steps so we will not make that mistake. I also like gardening, and luckily I have a pretty green thumb.

I will look for some impatients or similar. Would it be better if I found a perennial or something with more evergreen qualities so I don't have a bare spot come winter? Most of the bed is well protected from winds. My hostas and ajuga in that corner have looked a little burnt, but I may have applied too much fertilizer there as well.

I also realized my raspberry and blackberry plants are in the black pots there next to the steps. Those will definitely go away.

Thank you again.

I have a small front stoop like that with no room for colorful pots. What I did is put a decorative pot on a plant stand and put that in the back of the bed right next to the porch. I don't plant directly in the pot but use it as a cache pot so I can change out what is in it by season or by condition. I have upcoming replacement pots growing in a nursery area so there is always something new ready in case disaster strikes.

It's an easy way to keep something colorful next to the front door 365 days a year.

Thank you. That would be a good idea to have a more decorative pot next to the steps.

We have our first hugelkulture garden, and our pumpkins are really going to town so this fall should be awesome.

A main objective of something by the door is color and a perennial is not going to give it for long. I would do annual and change out to something pretty in the winter .... even if it must be artificial, if that's the only thing possible.

Thank you Yardvaark. I understand now.