Here is the other side of the yard next to the driveway.

I think your ideas sound marvelous. When I look at the front of your home, the only criticism I have is that it appears the plants are overgrown and need to be thinned out. I also like more color, and would make room in front of the greenery, or in between thinned out greenery, for some potted colorful annuals. (However, I've never lived in Florida, not sure what you can use there, I'm a midwesterner).

The stone pillars you mentioned, I can't tell what they are like on top, if they are flat or not. I'd find matching stoneware urns in a grayish tone and put one on top of each (not too tall), and fill with annuals, in maybe a pink color that would highlight the colors you have in your bricks & stone.

You posted the second picture as I was typing, LOL.

I would remove the edging that you have in front of the walkway. It's probably ok in front of the greenery, but it just doesn't look right near the walkway. Those pillars are smaller than I thought, so the urns may not work. Maybe if you could make them deeper? Or, use some nice distressed wood to connect them with a ledge of some type? Stonework would be expensive to fill them in.

OK, I see, were you thinking of filling in the edged area? Honestly, I'd probably thin out the hedges & green plants you have to fill in that area, and find flowers or containers for flowers to fill in the rest of the area. You really need colors besides the greenery. But I LOVE the stonework!

Thanks for your input! The pillars are 27 x 30 x 12 and are capped with stone on top. We believe there was some type of fencing connecting each pillar that may have rotted. The house was built in the early '80s. I feel like we can do something again to make them aesthetically appealing. Should I trim down the indian hawthorne hedge or trim them into individual bushes? I'm trying to work with what I have, if possible but am totally open to gutting it all!

I thought about moving the ficus to the dirt area and adding a few croton, barberry and a mixture of green and variegated liriope. My concern is if the ficus tree takes off and really fills out it will block my deep red front door from the street . I think that's a no-no!

OK, the pillars are deep enough for some grey urns. I really think you'd like the look, and not sure how it is in Florida, but around here it's "sale time" for landscaping items. I think they'd add so much detail.

I would put low plants in the area that is not yet planted. I'd trim the indian hawthorne hedge into individual bushes for some differentiation in shape. Plus, the stone pillars would be more apparent.

The rest of the plants I'd thin out. If they are mature and you can transplant them, you know they do well in the area so I'd move some to the newly planted area.

I have to have some color in my landscape, and around here annuals do the trick. If you are unsure, ask at the nursery in your area.

I would make the planting beds bigger, put a water feature between the two columns and move the plants away from the house. Maybe use a japanese design.

Our lot is a reverse pie. Front yard isn't very deep (I'm standing at the sidewalk) and I didn't want my plant beds to be too big in relation to the remaining area of grass. In front of the bay window is a tiled area just under 7ft deep. We had considered a water feature but I wasn't prepared for the investment. Thanks for your suggestions.

Here's where we are at the end of Day 1. We tried reshaping the indian hawthorne hedge into individual bushes (see earlier thread photos) but didn't like how they looked so we removed them. Now we have a clean slate to work with. Should we make the plant beds bigger/deeper? Should we extend them in front of the E.P. Holly since grass is having a hard time growing up to it? Our hardiness zone is 9-10. We don't have a pronounced walkway up to the front entrance. I thought maybe creating one in the dirt area next to the driveway.

There was some type of split rail fencing that connected each of the pillars but was removed prior by the previous owners. Maybe a punch of color needs to go between them to get rid of its awkwardness now.

I'm thinking they'd work to support a pergola over a patio which would be quite an enhancement to your place!

oh yes!!! it would be wonderful.

mamabear, it is perfect just the way it is. So elegant without flowers and frou-frou.

Pat - this is a 2013 Dilemma. Try to help others who are looking for your input today.