Yes - rest of your yard is beautiful and the hedges stop your eye from moving to the house.

Thank you, Maureen & Christy! I don't know that I'll get around to doing it this summer; though, today is the first official day of summer, but it's on the agenda for eary sprin of 18'!

I would simply reduce the height by about one third - and keep them trimmed to that height. They hide the foundation and give a visible edge to the porch.

Prune the bushes back to about 15" height so they are not such a barrier to your entry. See how this appears in the adjusted photo below.

remove the bushes, add some curves and continue with the front bed flower for all the sidewalk length

What program did you use to make that height/photo adjustment?

Ask your neighbor to give you a price on removing the shrubs--I suspect he's trying to drum up business.

Lol - leelee; he knows that I'll remove them myself!

Agree with Beverly. Just trim the shrubs back. They look to be in good shape...no dead spaces. You have lots of other landscaping that looks inviting.

If you are just itching to do something you could add a stone walk.

Good advice from your landscaper neighbour. Personally I don't see the value in trimming those back, since they will just look lousy for months, and once they fill in again you are back to where you started. A few hours of work to remove, and you have a fresh new space.

Thanks Kivi! I, too, agree - any suggestions on what to put in once hedges removed?

Yes remove the hedges. Makes house look very dated. Look at front yard landscape pics on houzz. Will give you some ideas.

If it were my front yard, I would turn it into a bee and butterfly garden. Contact your local county extension agent or landscaping supply company. Plant natives.

[Wild Landscape[(https://www.houzz.com/magazine/the-benefits-of-wild-landscape-design-stsetivw-vs~71201949)

You are doing a nice job with the other beds, so I would be inclined to echo a similar theme once the hedge is gone. Hemerocallis ( day lilies) would be nice with your stonework, hosta, ornamental grasses etc..

Yes, time to start over!

Yes I would definitely remove them. Instead put in a white short barn fence. I think it would look great with the look of the house and it will make it look bigger and more inviting! Hope that helped! :)

I don't know why your neighbor did not explain why the hedge should go. I'll try but ask him to explain when you get a chance. The goal of landscaping when there is a home is to enhance the view of the house, not to hide it. You want to draw the eye to the nicest features of the house. I think your best feature is the stone but the entrance is also quite nice. When a house has a nice porch like yours, that becomes part of the entrance. You are hiding the entrance. The hedge is even blocking full view of the door and sidelights. It is unfriendly. This is how most people will perceive it. Furthermore, a sheared hedge is a formal garden look and your flowers make me think you prefer a looser style. After it is removed I would not replace it with anything that gets over 8 inches tall. If you can grow a nice bed of violets that would be nice.

The beds along the path should not be wider than the path itself. That makes the path seem narrow. I would not enlarge it but I would move the plants further into the existing bed so they do not flop on the path making it look narrow as seen in your picture.

Definitely remove those shrubs and add some curves with plants of various heights in waves. Painting the front door a color would look great too. I love your stone.

Thanks, Kate! I'm planning on buying a completely new front door, and adding a glass/screen door w/it - definitely something w/a little more pop! I appreciate your input!

I get kind of crabby when a post like this one, with lots and lots of wonderful help, gets buried. I have suggested to OP she stay here. You guys have offered such creative solutions.

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/front-beds-hedge-removed-what-to-plant-dsvw-vd~4716314

Good job removing the bushes. Before doing any planting, curve your beds. The angle along the front walk should be curved as well. Your choice of plants will be limited by your planting zone. A mix of evergreen and seasonal color would be best for year round.

Your house is beautiful. Is it north facing by chance? What planting zone are you in?

Perennials can hide the porch just as much as shrubs. Do not hide the porch.

I'd extend the grass closer to the porch. Then add a very short ground cover at the base of the porch.

I'd enlarge the beds on the rest of the foundation for room for the new perennials there.

I think the dark sidelights look very harsh against your soft colored stone.

I agree with Beverly...trim the hedges lower. I would add some larger flowering plants along the front of the hedge (the current ones are small). You can add a few curves to the planting bed. Daylilies come in several colors and add a softness to a trimmed hedge. Paint the front door to match one of the bright flower colors in your garden.

I like the hedge ..you dont feel so exposed when you are sitting there !

People, the hedge is gone.

lol!

WOW.......it looks amazing!

Love the transformation!