The bed across the front of your house should be as deep as the one with the hostas. Put a low growing perennial border along the front edge of this bed, and fill in behind with more perennials that you like. As long as moisture requirements are similar any shade plant will work here. You can place plants in rows or do a cottage garden style with mixed tall and short plants. Place a tall growing shrub on the opposite corner from your door to anchor the bed. Put a very low ground cover in the narrow bed between the house and the drive. The picture below is just to show the general look.

Thanks Mindshift. Great ideas all way around. Very doable. Absolutely love the placement and height of the flowering bush between the house and fence! It puts the focus on the house and surrounding landscape, and away from the weathered fence. Will have to do some searching for a similar bush/tree that will stay that size and beauty and still in Zone 5.

Ken_adrian, thanks for suggestions. Closest big city is Green Bay WI. Agree about the height of the house and need to add depth to bed. Moved into this house several years ago, and now want to slowly improve it's curb appeal. No problem with going out 6-8 feet as you mentioned. No prior excavation in lawn...grass needs repair and patching. It gets worse as it gets closer to neighbors pine tree at adjoining yard. Fence is in need of much repair but can't afford to replace...hadn't thought about a trellis to enhance it and to add green. Yes, snow is piled up on the left side of house below mailbox and by driveway, so need hardy shrub.

I would devote the small bed left of steps to annuals for a spark of color all through the growing season. Sometimes it takes several tries before you find what works and looks the best for you. I'd suggest starting with sun tolerant Caladium bulbs as they are virtually foolproof. The typical (not dwarf) would be large enough to make a good, long show. Along the driveway strip lily of the valley would be perfect and faithful. For the rest of the yard I'd add low shrubs across the windows, a small tree in a groundcover bed and a patch of perennials at the right house corner. (One of the lower growing, dwarf Spiraeas might work out well below the windows.)

Thanks Yardvaark. I like the idea of having a tree in the yard and wasn't sure how far to bring it out with having the neighbors humungous pine tree close to that corner. Having a visual gives me an idea for potential placement. Any recommendations on what type of groundcover to use knowing the excessive amount of pine needles, cones, and sticks that will end up in that area?

I’d suggest power washing the fence (and possibly staining it if the wood is in decent shape.) We power washed our old fence and it looks 1000% better than it did.

Also, not landscaping related, but painting the trim around the door the same color as the shutters would really make that gorgeous detail pop. Right now it blends in with the siding and you don’t notice the woodwork around the door. Then paint the door a bright color, (maybe red, yellow, or teal?) so it pops out and becomes a focal point.

What kind of groundcover you use will depend on the light conditions that exist and are anticipated. If you have some shade now, lily of the valley is great for zone 5, but it is a rampant spreader so best with a 10-inch root barrier made of buried aluminum roof flashing. A Japanese Maple would make a nice sized tree for your house.

Thanks Sydney! As a new homeowner I welcome all suggestions. Actually, i just started cleaning part of my fence on the driveway side - but I've been doing it manually, and only have two panels cleaned so far. Used Behr wood cleaner. Lots of scrubbing needed but sure did make a difference on those two panels. I have a deep back yard so lot of fencing, which I believe is 20+ years old. Have had to replace several rotted posts and panels, but overall in relatively stable condition. I'm definitely gonna take your suggestion and have it power washed instead, and stained! As for the shutters, they are hunter green color, which I'm not a fan of, so was thinking of painting them black. I love the idea of painting the decorative trim around the door, as you're right, it totally blends in with the white siding, but not sure if black would make a great trim color. The front door is also a hunter green, which again, not a fan of. You've given me lots to think about. Thanks!

I have now since had the fence power washed - cleaned up real nice! Will work on staining next. Also added Purple Dragon Dead Nettle on the side of house to the left as it wraps around by driveway. However, I am having a challenge finding a flowering tree or shrub of the size of what Mindshift posted, for between the house and fence, as well as a possible shrub on the left side by the mailbox. My searches keep coming back to Wine & Roses Weigela, Hydrangea, Hosta,

even Ninebark intrigued me. These are all fine if i can incorporate them somehow, but I think I do need more green and fullness? I like boxwoods, but don't like the tight manicured look of them. Something like Golden Vicary Privet as possibility. Appreciate any thoughts and visuals!