I have little kids too ... and a big front hill designed to have balls bounce down into the street. We solved the our problem with plants. a fence is expensive and permanent and soon they will be old enough to obey without the barrier. I like knock out roses as the edge. they are a little unfreindly so the kids aren't going to try to walk through them, they bloom all year long (not winter of course), they like full sun, they require no maintenance at all, and they stay short so your view isn't messed with. A white option is called the "white out rose" by the same hybridizer (?) but white in color. There are also yellow, red, and pink knock outs. If your neighborhood sports a lot of fences, a fence is also an option. Ours doesn't.

I thought it would be fun to create a 3D concept for your front yard, based on my previous suggestion (wall, bench, potted plants, etc.). As you design your yard, I suggest that you start with the hardscape and amenities before you begin to think about the softscape. It would be wonderful to activate the front of your house with a fountain or firepit, and turn that area into a space your family can enjoy. Good luck!

Here are some ideas, in detail, for your consideration. a. Starting at the top, remove the large concrete slab at the doorway, replacing it with just a simple wooden step with about a 18-24' tread, with a nosing on three sides. The remaining concrete level, or a step down, will be continued outword into the 12'x12' retained area, with an 8'x8' terrace. leaving a two foot plant bed along the walls for a hedge of hatfield yews, underplanted with groundcovers, and bulbs of all seasons. b. On the left side of the yard, between the retaining wall and the ramped steps, plant a row of kousa dogwoods or star magnolias. c. On the other side of the retaining wall, by the steps, level the ground and plant a saucer magnolia if you want a sculptural tree, or a southern magnolia, if you want evergreen and textural mass. d. Underplant all these trees with groundcovers and low shrubs, like dwarf azaleas, mountain laurel, leucothoe, shore juniper, pieris, dwarf spreading yews. To choose what is most suitable, after the trees are in place, give the garden center a deposit of several hundred dollars and have them load up all the plants you are considering, say five of each type, and have them delivered with the truck parked out front, and you try this and that until the selection is initially perfect, and have them invoice what you have selected, returning the balance to the garden center. After you have installed these shrubs, have the family do a walkaround critique, and then add more to satisfy the final look. After complete, add groundcover, so all soil areas will be covered. e. Plant sod across the lower plant bed and along the street for the time being. Let the whole garden mature for a couple years before making any changes or additions. f. If those little white squares under the front window are planters, try a nice boxwood in each, surrounded with fragrant perennial herbs like rosemary and germander to fill in the space. g. Paint the risers of all the concrete steps white, and put the handrails back in place. cascio.offsite@gmail.com

Curious what you ended up doing with this slope, we have something similar between us & our neighbor! Thanks!