Window boxes would be way down on the list for me. What I'd want is shrubs/trees up near the road for privacy. In fact, that's exactly what I've done at my new house.

Congratulations on your new home! Sod and trees would be at the top of my list. I don't care for window boxes (wouldn't they stain your white brick?) because they need frequent watering in my dry summers but perhaps your climate is rainy.

Even in my damp climate window boxes need constant watering plus feeding and plant replacement. Unless you are a very keen gardener they are a lot of trouble. Get the in ground garden sorted out first.

Thank you all WV, Cecily and floral. Congrats on new house too!! Landscaper is adding evergreens to front this week. You’re absolutely right!! Wait til I see how the trees/flowers bring it to life. I’m in TN, and new to area fromNY. I understand there’s a bit of rain. The other houses here have trees around but not in front—about 3cars drive by each day (UPS, mailman and a neighbor). Pretty quiet area.

We’re adding laurels and purple azaleas.

Lacey, do you want to share pics of yours?

Will guests not park on the street at all or will you have neighbors walk to your house? The current sidewalk layout makes it really hard for someone to get from the street to the front door. I would do a sidewalk to the street which will also provide an opportunity for nice landscaping.

Thanks Sigrid. I’m a want to be gardener. But know nothing, consider them scratched off my list!

We don’t park on the street here. Here’s a better picture. Plenty of driveway.

Here it is.

Leslie, I can't post pics because I don't have a cell phone--and don't really know how to post pics anyhow. My house is somewhat closer to the street than yours--small town, not very busy street--and I have power lines as well at the street that restrict height. But going from right to left, I put in a Viburnum 'Lanarth', a Viburnum 'Mt Airy', three Spirea 'Ogon' with an Ilex verticillata 'Very Berry' in front (house side, not street side) of them, a Physocarpus 'Red Robe', a Viburnum pragense (evergreen), a Viburnum juddii, a Viburnum Chenaultii (evergreen) and finally, near the driveway a Heptacodium 'Temple of Bloom', which will not be too tall or wide. All were mail ordered and are 1 gallon shrubs or smaller. They've done very well this season and I expect real growth next year.

I didn't want a wall of boring evergreens. Between the shrub border and the house are grasses and perennials, with a wide path to the front door from the driveway.

Ok. I’ve looked up theses plants and can add these as an option for me too.! Sounds like a nice look for the house. You sound knowledgeable. I don’t want boring either and hope the landscaper helps me out. I’m in middle Tennessee and hope to learn a lot during the process of new plantings . Good luck over the winter.

Leslie, in middle Tennessee you will have a larger number of evergreen shrubs to choose from than I have, and with more room between house and road, you can do a wider,(deeper) front to back border than I could which would be even better both for long season of interest and more privacy. And you can include small trees as well. With careful choices you can have flowers, fragrance, fall color and berries.

There are so many choices. I’m planning to have a few trees but need to plant around the septic field. Fun process so far.
I have a planned flower vegetable bed in the back, can be my playground. Are you planting yourself? I’m only doing the small stuff.
Taking a general landscape class might be helpful. I may check out local college.

Your house is beautiful. Be more confident. 😊

Landscaping will change the entire home dramatically.

Window boxes are lovely. But they are hard to maintain. Are you up for that?

What about shutters or some lighting?

Leslie, I do all my own planning and planting. At 77, I did waaay more this spring than I really had the strength to do, but I wanted to get as much done as I could because, let's face it, I don't know how many springs I have left.

Just a little more advice. I think you'd want shade from the hottest part of the day. That means planting trees to the west/southwest for shade from the hottest summer sun, and next trees to the east/southeast to shade the house in the morning and keep it cool as long as possible. That's what I've done with a Magnolia virginiana (sweetbay Magnolia) to the east and a Cotinus obovatus (native Smoketree--NOT smokebush) to the southwest. Directly west I planted a redbud, an Amelanchier 'Autumn Blaze', and a Halesia 'Wedding Bells'. The Halesia itself requires some shade and it is near the edge of the shade from a large Sycamore to the north west of the house. If your property is large enough, it's ideal to site large trees at appropriate distance and the smaller, understory trees closer in. Layers of shade increase the cooling. Of course this info applies to decks and patios as well.

Also, though it seems counter intuitive, small trees establish much faster than do large ones and if properly planted and properly mulched will outgrow the large tree in 5 years. All my trees were mail ordered with the most expensive one a 3 foot tall whip and the least expensive maybe a foot tall. They have all done well and should be a presence in 3 years. By 5 years, they'll be giving plenty of shade.

Nurseries want to sell you large specimens. You'd do better to mail order much more modest size trees. Never improve the planting hole--fill with native soil. And make sure you don't plant trees too deep. You must keep the root flare just above the surface. No mulch up against the tree.

Good luck.

Thank you HU. I’m reconsidering the window box idea. I don’t want the maintenance required to do it justice. I was not always a fan of shutters but am changing my mind….they may compliment the house nicely. I thought about window treatments inside but started with shades so far. Some lighting in the ground you mean, yes a good idea. Once the spring is here and I see the azaleas bloom, I’ll know better what to do, I hope.

Lacey, wow!! All your own planting—congratulations to you. That’s wonderful. If you’re able to do that much you have many more springs, I would think. Thank you. When we built I saw the house would be sun in southwest. Planning a tree there, but figuring who I one. Sunset maples are here a lot and lovely. Redbuds are here also. Layers of shade is great advice. I’ve seen homes where the trees are too close together and doesn’t look right. Or too close to the house. Your layout sounds great! Good luck with all you’ve done.

My landscape beginning. And shutters idea is growing on me. Only on the front??

Pics