Congratulations on your new home! t is a beautiful home.

That is pretty unusual that the City would add landscaping after they tear up the front for a sidewalk. Did you get a letter from the City detailing what they will do and when they would do it?

The best thing you can do is to work with a landscape designer in your area. You will get good ideas, from others, here on the landscape forum but a good comprehensive plan is what you need. Not from a landscape maintenance co, but a landscape designer in your area. Try a local nursery to see if they have one on staff or that they can recommend.

Edit: A landscape designer does the hardscape as well as the landscape.

https://www.houzz.com/magazine/10-questions-to-ask-a-landscape-designer-stsetivw-vs~78310749

https://www.houzz.com/magazine/5-reasons-to-consider-a-landscape-design-build-firm-for-your-project-stsetivw-vs~40301441

I think it will be very nice to have a sidewalk and a space where your front walk leads to the house from the sidewalk. I think a very nice picket fence would suit the house maybe brick and picket to tie in the brick

If you were starting from scratch with no plants but grass, would you want to hide the house with a hedge? It's an attractive house but the hedge seems to kill a lot of the street appeal. Unless you're looking for seclusion, it seems like it would be better to focus on a foundation planting. ...?

some ideas:

You didn't answer my question about privacy vs. street appeal (showing off the house.)

As mentioned, you're not going to get any sound reduction unless the wall was tall and with minimal breaks. The walk and drive would work against it. Most communities regulate walls to the point where tall ones not allowed. Moneyed areas are sometimes exceptions.

1. Dana - Your house would look amazing and it would add instant appeal to create low walls that define the public and private space of the front. This would allow a sense of arrival and defining path to the door separate from your drive entry. With low walls adding elegance and texture to the home you can also frame the driveway allowing for a more elegant sophisticated look to the front of the house. I would recommend you consider matching the brick on the house unless you are planning to renovate the homes exterior. A low brick wall matching with a cap stone of neutral grey would allow for plantings, an intriguing walkway , lighting and framing of the homes entrance. Instance curb appeal and value. A professional landscape designer or design build company will have loads of ideas and be able to implement them for you. Good luck with your project.

I love your house. And I am so jealous that your community values pedestrians. I can't even believe there is a town ADDING sidewalks. We have so many businesses in our town our kids can't get to to work or enjoy.

I also love your landscaping and it sounds like your deciduous trees aren't getting sacrificed, thank god. I'm just here to say don't listen to anyone who tells you to plant a row of arborvitae. I freaking hate those pointy rows of soldiers, and they must be pushing them at Home Depot or something because they are everywhere!

Lame at best:

Winterburnt and awful more often:

I mean, of ALL the choices!!

Keep your landscape loose and natural as it is currently. Passers by may like to hit a wall of lilac or other seasonal scent as they pass your lovely home! Good luck!

Thank you for the input TLC GARDENS & YARDVARRK. I don't want to hide the house Yardvaark- in Southern style I like to sit on the front porch and chat with passers by. I do want curb appeal and to define my space from public space. DIG DOUG: thank you for the rendering. I just can't visualize without a picture. KEVIN STRADER: I'll take a look at your site. PATRICIA COLWELL : thank you for the photo. It's a nice combination.

If you want curb appeal and association with passersby, you'll be better off not dividing off the public space from your front yard (quasi public space) with a wall like structure. Whether it be made of stone or of plants, it creates a visual barricade that separates. What's wrong with making your front yard into such a charming setting that neighbors become dying to know, "Who are these people that are adding so much charm to the neighborhood?!" I can't see that a hedge is going to do it. Even if the city gives it all to you.