Wait on any landscaping ideas until all construction work has been completed. Then you don’t need to worry about damage to plants, and suggestions will be more helpful when we can see what the finished house looks like. (Which is a long way of saying that at this point this isn’t a landscape design question.)

Great ideas! Thank you! I also could use some help with the steps; what kind of steps should I get? Stone or brick? I think whatever we'll decide to use on the steps we will also put on the foundation wall below the vinyl.