My rule of thumb for foundation planting is that there should be a foot or more between the plant and the wall of the house when the plant is mature.

You should post a front on picture of your house taken further back so we can see the whole house.

I think you could move the Sky Pencil Hollies somewhere else.

thank you, houssaon. I do plan to move the Sky Pencils. I agree with your rule for planting. I think I may be able to use a Purple Pillar Hibiscus (2-3 ft wide) and just sneak by.

I don't blame the Sky Pencil. I would remove the other shrub.

"My rule of thumb for foundation planting is that there should be a foot or more between the plant and the wall of the house when the plant is mature." Houssaon, doesn't it seem that barely anyone is paying attention to your rule ...?? :-)

While you are at it put the shutters where they belong or remove them, As for the plantings go to the local garden center and see what works in your area keeping in mind heavy snowfall can really play havoc with tall shrubs. IMO a much wider landing would be my first order of business and then maybe all you would need are 2 large planters one on each side of the door that could be planted with seasonal plants

Agree that the narrow steps make the house look like a trailer. With exclamation mark hollies serving to emphasize this. Also these shrubs are not hiding the foundation. Clipping of other shrubs is also preventing them from getting big enough to do same.

If this is the all day shade side of the house the hibiscus may not like it. Plus these will have no leaves from fall until late spring - it's better to have something evergreen at end points (corners) in beds, whenever possible.

'Laced Up' elderberry could be an option for a slender shrub that flowers.

Really need something broader and evergreen next to those steps, rather than two vertical bundles of what will be bare sticks for half the year.

I would recommend to the homeowner: investing first a larger porch or at least porch rails on this small stoop, which would help with curb appeal, and then landscape with something that is evergreen. Evergreen is more important than flowers here, Can always add annuals in two big pots as someone else said. So basically in my opinion it is not the landscaping that is lacking it is the size of the porch, looks a little hazardous, but has a lot of potential to be very pretty.

OP, are you the owner or the landscaper?

If you are the owner, I agree with Patricia Colwell above. Put the shutters on the window frames where they belong (like below). It looks so much better than to have them completely detached from the window frame (and attached to the house inappropriately).

North Chatham New Construction · More Info

I don't know enough about landscaping, but I do agree that what you have now isn't working. Many of the posters above are right on point.

Thanks, everyone. Not the homeowner. I like the architectural ideas mentioned but don't believe that would be in the budget. Handrails, maybe. Steps are pretty high. I'm going to suggest he remove the Sky Pencil and the two clipped bushes in front of them and replace with a conical evergreen.

Just another thought...might work to leave the sky pencils and add more to total 3 on each side and sort of a graceful curve around the porch (instead of straight line)...as they are healthy and established and doing well in this location.

Not a bloomer, but remove the Sky pencils and the holly in front of them and replace with an upright variegated boxwood. Conical in shape. They are 'evergreen' so you have year-round appeal. Low maintenance. ...if they are hardy in your region.

But look how much better the full, rounded shapes that come up at least as high as porch level in the Yardvaark rendering look than the narrow 'Sky Pencil' hollies. And better than the other shrubs clipped to be quite low and small - the box pruned to be narrowly conical* would just be a minor variation on the hollies.

(And then of course there is box blight...)

*The one shown in the nursery pot is sheared to have that density and outline

Yardvaarka photoshop picture is worth a thousand words!

Thanks, Yardvaak, I like that look. Don't see why it always has to be the tall conical trees on either side, especially on a small house. Much softer looking.