Hi, Tiffany — where are you located?

With such tiny beds, low windows and low front porch there is no room for hedges and shrubs. For extreme low maintenance fill both beds with Liriope and be done with it. If you need to add more interest, go with bulbs like daffodils, Naked Ladies -Lycoris or Oxblood Lilies - Rhodophiala, planted in the liriope.

IMO such a large house needs some balance with the landscaping and so those beds need to be larger .Could you take a pic further back I am not getting a take on the property at all with the car parked almost on the walk to the house. The size of the beds right now would barely handle a small shrub and you hsve to remember plants grow. There are many easy to care for plants that are perennials that require a bit of work in the fall and spring but reward you with a much more interesting collection of flowers and greenery. Trees and shrubs also require some work to be kept in check in small spaces.

Agree with Christopher. These beds are too small for shrubs. Liriope would be perfect - green, well-behaved, and no-care.

Patricia, I didn’t even notice the car! Hmmmm. Seems odd to have a driveway so very close to the front door of this fine home.

Small, symmetrical beds and low growing rounded shrubs are a classic hallmark of this style of home. There’s plenty of room for what the OP is wanting. It may not be everyone’s preference, but it’s appropriate and do-able. It won’t be zero maintenance; some trimming will certainly need to be done at times.

Just need to know growing zone/location.

It really doesn't matter if "small beds and low growing shrubs are a classic hallmark style"! Small beds with low growing shrubs just will not translate to "extremely low maintenance", which is obviously an important consideration for the OP as it was mentioned in both the subject heading and the body of the text. No shrub will stay small enough to fit both the beds and stay below window level without frequent pruning attention. And most homeowners do not consider the need for frequent pruning to be extremely low maintenance :-))

An evergreen groundcover or the liriope mentioned previously will work perfectly well and will offer about as low maintenance an approach as possible.

There are dwarf shrubs that wouldn’t need frequent pruning, such as dwarf English boxwood. I didn’t see anything about things having to stay under the window level.

OP, what I’d do is take your pictures to a local nursery when possible, and get their advice. In the meantime, for visual ideas, you can look up various things such as, ‘colonial style landscaping’ ... ‘federal style house landscaping’ ... ‘red brick with columns’ ... etc. It might provide some inspiration.

I‘d do low shrubs in the larger area and groundcover in front of the porch area. I’d have a couple of matching potted plants on the porch as well (in between the columns).

Dwarf English box gets bigger than you expect. And it is a pretty fundamental rule of landscape design that foundation plantings not obscure any windows. 95% of the requests received here deal with homeowners who have pulled out overgrown/unpruned shrubs and ask what they can replace them with that will stay smaller. Or are advised by the pros here to have window obscuring trees and shrubs removed and replaced with something in proper scale.

So yes, frequent pruning - at least twice a year - after establishment will be required.

I don’t consider twice a year frequent. :)

ETA: I’m being facetious. I have a redtips in bad spots (rental, can’t remove) I clip shoots off of about every other day. Drives me crazy.

I agree with a low growing ground cover,,,which specific choice: ask a local gardening center, Also, plant a lovely flowering tree tree to the left of the path and to the right if there is room...can't tell from photos. Also,paint the front door your favorite color (as long as it's not gray!).

Jinx, it has been my experience with clients that want a very low maintenance landscape design is that ANY pruning is too frequent pruning :-)

We all know people who have no desire or aptitude for landscape maintenance, and don't want to pay someone to do it. Fair enough.

It's also fair to point out that an attractive yard is key to curb appeal and adds significant value to a property. And it's not something that can be done at the last minute when you list your house!

It takes a long time for trees to grow and a landscape to mature. So choosing to forgo landscaping has a significant cost, albeit down the road when you sell.

Thank you for all of the feedback — extremely helpful! We are located in Michigan @jinx and to clarify up to 4 times a year for maintenance is totally fine and I am opposed to covering the windows.

For those who asked.... here is another picture that is a little further back.

I love the idea of ground cover and SO appreciate all the ideas!

Lovely home! (I like your Camaro, too.) :)

The walkway “after” is a great improvement.

Thanks, @Jinx!!

I remember you, girl! :-))

I do not know what shrubs they have in Midwest, but here is my favorite front door landscape with shrubs. Just as inspro

May be plus couple planters

When I bought my house four years ago, there were these tiny, rounded boxwood, maybe a foot tall? Anyway, four years later, they are barely larger and they look nice and healthy--and I have done nothing to them--no trimming, no watering or feeding. They are just as cute and round as the first day I saw them. Unfortunately, I don't know the variety, but check the tags at the garden center for maximum height. Good luck!

@celerygirl!! You helped me choose the perfect rug for our formal living room. We are still getting compliments on how beautiful that rug and room is ;o)

Thanks so much for the recommendations! Will let you know how it turns out.

Thank you. I remember what rug was, gray with brown, I like it too. Enjoy!