What is an Armstrong Landscaper?

Two things immediately come to my mind (and this is blunt so I’m begging your pardon right off the bat):

Whatever that tall thing in the red circle is looks ridiculous rubbing up against the house and blocking the windows. Ditto on the short stone wall in the red rectangle. I’d tear out both, plus whatever is planted behind the short stone wall. All (the tree, wall and whatever is planted on the house-side of the wall) are way too close to your house. In my opinion, of course.

I like the wall. I'm a little confused why you have a plant palette but no idea of where to put the plants. I can't help without knowing what the plants are.

Armstrong Garden Centers are a major chain of California retail nurseries, mostly located in SoCal. Since CA plantings tend to be very regional in their suitability, they are unknown to many US gardeners so labeling your plant palette would be very helpful.

The plant palette, starting from top left:

1st row: Sunset gold (evergreen bush), miner's merlot euphorbia, sundowner (grows 3-5 feel tall),

2nd row-

Aeonium black rose, campfire (a green/red ground cover), dianella variegata (green/yellow stripes)

3rd row -

Giant agave, dianella blue, phormium "jack sprat" (a black grass),

4th row

Red kangaroo paw /Bush Ranger, rosemary bush not sure what it is?? (this is the one I added, saw this on a walk)

Other notes -

Yes ridiculous tree will be taken out! The rock wall is staying :)

I'm mostly asking about to fill in or balance things out in terms of shape and size, once that tree is out.

Yes am in SoCal and live in a mid century neighborhood, if that helps at all.

The palette I mention here what plants will be added to the entire from yard, so am asking if one were to redisgn that rock wall planter from scratch, what to do, drawing from the palette, new ideas, or some combo.

The Armstrong guy seems good but I think he's overloaded so questions don't get answered right away mad when they do they don't address what I asked. and the job is smaller so I feel my project goes to bottom of pile. But then they charge me. So... any advice or ideas is appreciated!

Also - will have drip system installed but trying to keep it somewhat drought tolerant.

Glad you're taking out the bottle brush but do you really have room for the New Zealand flax(sundowner) in that not very wide planter? Love them but they are huge in SoCal. Whats happening with the asparagus fern, artemisia(?) and spiky plants in your planter?

Usually the best looking landscapes for most of us non pros have a limited palatte and close attention to mature sizes of plants. If it were me I’d be tempted to put the same kinds of plants in both planters for balance maybe even a juniper on the near end like the one you have on the other side.

Thank you @mojavemaria, this is helpful! Do you think even if we went with a small sundowner eg 1 gallon that it would eventually too big?

I was planning to remove all the plants here, (tree, fox tail, all others). Hoping to transplant the fox tails somewhere else.

Any other ideas of what to put instead? I'm thinking juniper would get too big too?

But I do agree there needs to be something that matches the other side. Which is why landscaper recommended the red kangaroo paw, but I don't think it'll get enough sun.

Any ideas?

That shade makes things tougher, its the opposite of the problems we have:) A lot of the plants on your list like the sun but Jack sprat New Zealand Flax will stay small enough for your planter and Ribes Viburnifolium is CA native that likes shade and is evergreen with seasonal berries.

your succulents might be ok, Aloe vera grows well here in sun and shade it just looks different. You could plant and see what thrives and what doesn't and adjust. So far as what to put where you can try plants out still in pots and move them around until you like what you see, just keep in mind their mature size!

The color pallette is nice.

Remove all the sculpted bushes. No Juniper. Plant Leucadendron instead.

For the yard, group plants instead of in rows. You need more stepping stones so they actually look walkable, not so far apart.

The tall desert tree needs some pruning to reduce the height and it will fill in better.