Can you take a picture to include the entire home? Do you get snow?

Unfortunately all the shrubs have been trimmed to the same flat ball. Azelias have such a beautiful natural shape. If you let them go now they'll find their shape again in a few years. Right off the bat I'd recommend removing the two largest bushes on either side of the walkway and the chains hanging in front.

Is there a shade pulled in the window on the far left or are there different types of glass in the window?

Id rip it all out and get a landscape plan from a good nursery. They do them for free. My only advice is to think about what it ill look like from inside the house ( basement windows and front windw)

Get rid of all the green bubblegum shrubs and start with a clean slate. Select low growing azaleas to replace the evergreens if you want some foundation plantings. Make a stepping stone path to the curb and create two curved beds filled with perennials, low growing evergreens and ornamental grasses. Have you ever thought of updating your ranch with some nice blue grey paint on the white sections and beefing up your support columns with square posts ? Below is a sketch of my ideas and the color scheme. .

Hi....I totally agree with Sweet Caroline, especially on the paint which would help diminish the pitch of the roof.
The landscaping deserves a make-over, and the stepping stones and flower beds would make a huge difference. A new front door color would be a plus.

I hate seeing beautiful old azelias torn out. They'd make the perfect backdrop for fresh plantings and they hide the a/c unit in the window. I'd widen the planting beds, a big nice curve to both, only about 10 - 15' deep, then plant something other than green shrubs. Maybe a smoke bush or hop bush on the far left, a japanese maple to the left of the front door, some fringe flower, etc... A walkway to the street or curb always looks more inviting. A magnolia tree in the lawn on the right by the driveway. Try not to trim the plants in your planting bed. If you have to, do it in a way where they keep their natural shape.

The little window upstairs on the left in the expanse of white could be improved by painting the siding a soft grey, (see photo), keeping the facia and trim white, and adding a window box there. I like the idea of replacing the front door and side lights.

Great exposed brick. Love the weather vane and the big window in front.

Agree with letting the existing plants return to their natural shapes. Look at images on line for how these can look when not sheared to give you an idea.of what that could be. At least some of them could help form the backbone of newly designed, curved beds with some additional variegated plant material. If you are not enamored of the ground cover, rip it out with no regrets, and mulch the beds.

I am not a landscape designer;however I garden myself and I hate to see perfectly good bushes torn out. Especially if they are healthy.

If they won't work with new landscape design from a professional, then can you transplant to your back yard or side of house, or find a home for them?? I would recommend finding a landscape designer to review your ideas with before uprooting any bushes.

The curb appeal can be improved with a paint job. The left side of house looks top heavy/out of proportion painted white. Recommend painting a colour which complements the brick, which I can't see well enough in pic, to offer colour suggestions.

The garage door should be painted same colour as body of house so it recedes visually, whereas front door colour should be a unique colour which is welcoming. Go to front door colours in idea books to find colour that you like, and works based on style of house and direction your front door faces.

I have always had to work with what is rather than ripping out and starting afresh so if earlier suggestion not possible. Suggest you keep what is and move around...especially azaleas and leave the one in front of ac unit lol. Your path to drive looks like hard materials which may be hard to move. so suggest you start with triangle between path and house. Edge with box hedging or similiar low grower to focus attention on link with drive and then you could move azaleas either in groups of three within triangle or in a staggered line outside the formal hedge. Put a deciduous flowering tree (cherry?) and another bed in bottom left of picture closer to road which will balance the house and an opportunity to move the shrubs from house and reuse. To give year round colour In the triangle near house, have a range of lower growing grasses, yellow and red flax or astelia (silver) mixed with azaleas to add interest and texture. Suggest you put an upright shrub between front door and window to break up the expanse of wall (closer to house) maybe a group of three plants in differing sizes. Ie three palms or cabbage trees, or such. Something architectural would be nice. Not sure of your climates so not sure what to suggest. Hopefully it would give depth and focus to the garden. Painting front door a brighter colour would also be an easy way of adding focus and drawing the eye.

Since the original poster hasn't commented I'll say that I think those bushes up front are junipers or yews...from the 60s or 70s. Alot of houses in the midwest (I would guess that is where this house is) had these standard shrubs planted out front. I would say remove them because they are out of date and if you are updating the style is to go with grasses and colorful flowering shrubs.

He posted that they are pines and azaleas

Those aren't pines, maguire, they are either junipers or yews. Pines are much taller and more textured.

Sweeeeet Car-oooo-line, bamp, bamp, bamp.....Just saying what he said up at the top, "Currently just pine bushes with azelias inbetween and some type of green low lying fast spreading type plants"

Yea, I'm guessing "pine bushes" might be junipers or arbovitae?

Ground cover looks like vinka, whatever it is, I'd rip it all out and mulch.

Could they be mugo pines, sheared like mad? Mugo/azalea combos for foundation plantings were pretty popular around the timeframe.

Nwduck, I'll bet you're right! Smarty pants, I wish I thought of that. What's funny is hunter0527 (posted and has not returned) could let us know. No point in caring on this thread if he's not returning.

Thought that could help with people advising to relocate or take out. I had older ones at my home. After hours of fruitless digging (roots, roots, and more roots), gave up in save/move attempt. Tried to pull with a truck. Didn't budge. Made great tire spin marks on the street, though. Finally just cut down and hired someone with a stump grinder. And maybe hunter0527 is doing something useful. I'm avoiding going back outside to pull more weeds!

Sorry for getting back so late. Never in thought I would get so many responses in so little time. Thank you very much to everyone for your feedback, I do appreciate it. I’ll try to answer all the questions asked. Yes we do get snow. We are in central PA. As far as the window goes, yes the one of the left has a shade half way down. We did just buy paint as well (gray color) to paint the left white part of the house. Bushes may be junipers, they are pine looking and I am by no means a garden expert. I don’t know if I would replace the ground cover with mulch. I do like the look for the first month or so but then it doesn’t look as nice. I think i would replace with river rock (not sure of the size yet, smaller (silver dollar size or fist size). I as well don’t like the AC in the front window but without central air, that is the only window on the first floor that will allow for an AC, so yes I agree something should stay in that area to block that view. I do like the thought of painting the front door (just the door itself and leave the sides white?) and removing the 2 bushes next to the walk way. Yes the home was built in late 60s so all of the landscaping was done then and not touched since. I also like the idea of doing something with the columns, and yes the chains can come down. Had some hanging baskets but they are gone now. The trim around the 2 windows would stay white, would like to do something with the top part of the window (overhang type thing, usually a different color on houses). I would assume leave the header above the garage door white as well. Let’s start with this and see where it leads. Again, my apologies for the slow response and THANK YOU to everyone that posted feedback. Reponses will be much faster now.

I will also get more pics later this evening so everyone can get a better idea of the layout.

I agree with Caroline but just one note added. The left side of the house is so high, I would add tree to go for height. Not up against house but "closer" to walkway so will grow up in front of that higher wall.

there is a tree next to walk way on the right (not seen in pic) and also little garden area with small pine tree to the left (also not in pic). Considering ripping pine tree out and putting a similar tree in there as on the right. You will see what i mean when post more pics.

Here are more pics.

Pretty rolling lawn. The downpours I've been hearing about there haven't affected you.
I think I'd paint the garage door, not the header, the same color as the siding, for balance.
Beefing up the columns is a great idea for an update.
River rock is heavy on plant roots and it's hot recommend leaving the ground cover.
You've got some great ideas here. Red Berm suggested some beautiful, colorful plantings that would pop in front of the azelias.
Thanks for the better pictures. Keep us posted on the progress.

I know I am joining this later than everyone else, but I really think the wall of shrubs across the front is not very attractive. You could perhaps keep the azaleas, but trim them down and then when they grow back in, let them shape naturally, not cut into balls or cubes.

What zone are you in and which direction is the front of your house? That will determine the kind of plants you choose.

I think you have gotten great advice - keep the azaleas, tear out the rest, consult with your local nurseryman now that you have a concept for what you want. You can go to the library and check out the sunset garden book for your area and have fun just reviewing lots of different types of plants and their characteristics.

And check out houzz's idea books and save to your own ideabook!

We are in central PA. The front of the house faces north, with the garage side west. Thanks for all the ideas. Any ideas for color to paint door? Also would you just paint the door? Or would you also paint the 2 side panels?

Hydrangeas and rhododendrons would both grow on the north side, by the way.

I would paint the door and the sidelights, but have seen people paint just the door. I would like yours painted because they appear to have the same rounded windows as the door. If you are thinking of painting the siding a light gray, I think a cranberry color might be nice for the doors.

oooooh, i think that would look nice. cranberry with the gray... east side of the house has shutters, but the front doesnt and either does the back (not a big deal there). Would you paint the shutters cranberry as well? what about the ones on the brick? Since the 2 windows in the raised section (to the left) front are out away from the house would you add shutters? Would you paint the 'overhang' of these windows the cranberry color? Sorry, kinda getting off topic here but....

I like to keep the front door its own color and not repeat it in the shutters. I would not add shutters to the windows in the sided section. I would keep all the trim white and paint the siding and maybe the garage doors the gray.

Ok. what about the exisiting shutters on the side, underneath? leave them, remove them, paint them (what color)? also what about the overhang of the upper 2 windows, paint gray as well?

I would leave them the shutters dark. I agree with only painting the door and sidelights too.

I still would love to see a facia board (not sure of the name) across the lower edge of the siding on the left. Under the window, The window replaced with a slightly larger one with muntins and millwork to frame it out.

This photo is an extreme version of what I'm talking about but I think you get the idea with the millwork under the window in the first photo and the white trim piece in the second photo under the upper section of the home, that will frame the upper portion after you've painted it gray.

Where is Ourfarmhouse when you need him and his photoshop skills?

I gotcha. i do like the idea, just not sure i want to get into all that work just yet, as there is a basement that needs finished, hardwood, floors that need finished... LOL, now im really getting off topic.

Ok, so cranberry door and sides. leave the shutters (black) and where there is white on the raised side of the house will become gray, along with garage door. Rip out some junipers, leave the azalea bushes. Check. Looks like i just filled my weekend and then some. Ha ha. Ill get there just will take me time between the 9-5 and running the kids everywhere.

Any other suggestions please keep them coming I certainly do appreciate it and love all the ideas!

But Hunter I was having so much fun dreaming of ways to spend your money! Your home is lovely the way it is, good bones, and on a fantastic piece of earth, makes it more fun to play with. So much of the joy is in the process (then seeing how happy it makes your family) Please keep us posted....

If you haven't already picked a gray paint color this discussion might interest you. https://www.houzz.com/discussions/need-help-with-paint-combos-on-a-difficult-house-dsvw-vd~528119

Dang, I litterally just put a full screen door on Sunday (Pic taken Friday). And of course with the suggestions of painting the door. Man, screen door is white. Might have to sell it and go back to lowes for the cranberry colored one. Shoot!

If you do get the cranberry one, have them match the paint for the door and sidelights!

will do. i would just paint the screen door but it has a white screen frame, same for glass. that would get tricky... i always seem to be one step behind.

You'll get it all together. We will keep on you, lol! Buying the cranberry color is easier than painting and will probabaly hold up better as well.

Do you have any updated photos for us yet?

Unfortunately no... a 10' driveway extention to the right got in the way (not sure how)? :) Bush at corner of garage is now gone, so I guess there has been some progress?!!!! Ill try and post pics this weekend.

I know you didn't inquire about this subject, but have you had someone inspect your roof? Looks like it might need replacing ... Regardless, good luck with your landscaping!

Roof isnt as bad as it looks. But within next few years (sooner than later) it will need replaced.

Glad to hear it. Just thought I'd mention it just in case ... We just went through a redo of the roof of our ranch, so my attention to roofs is heightened right now.

At the front door, try trimming them down to make it more inviting, and the fast growing vine might be time consuming to take it out, but some chemicals kill it. If you want the vine gone. Try adding some flowers or a sculpture to add color. Try your local Home Depot or Lowe's. Also you could add window planters and put some flowers in it that attract native butterfly's or humming birds. Really you can't go wrong, you have a very flat front yard it seems so you could add a front yard flower garden to make your house look nice and colorful, and inviting. Have fun.

Here are the pics of the driveway, and the updated landscaping (ripped out one bush). :) time is at a minimum right now so as much as i want to do it and ya'll want to see pics it is going to be a slow process.

I don't think we ever got pictures of the right side of the house. I can see where you've done some dirt moving there. Believe me, we understand how life gets in the way of our good intentions. Best to take your time anyway. Most of the fun is in the process. Thanks for keeping us posted.