Can you take a picture from further back so that we can see the entire area.

If the hydrangea died due to "rotting away", I'd correct any drainage or water accumulating issues before planting anything else.

Maybe consider a spiraea bush or a couple of them

They are deer resistant

Ok will get better pics in the morning. thanks

See more pics below

Does the gutter leader attached to the left entryway side empty the water into that area by the azalea/house or is it connected to a solid pipe that drains the gutter water daylight a distance away from the house? Are you getting any water intrusion as the window well is filled with soil?

A picture straight on of the entire house front would be helpful.

I think your landscape issue is more than just whether you should fix any drainage issue and plant one replacement bush. The landscaping across the entire house looks like it is overly mature and could use a refresh to really complement your pretty house. The large arborvitae(?) to the right of the front steps and the tall azalea(?) on the left corner are overly large.

Is there a local nursery that offers design services that can make some suggestions?

Start by digging out the stump and moving the rhododendron back in the space. Trim back surrounding bushes so the plants have air movement. Address the drainage issues while making these changes. I imagine you have clay soil and possibly some compacted rods due to the age of the plantings close to the house and maybe from large trees outside of photo.

Would suggest that you keep plantings a certain distance away from your home. Plants that brush up against a wall will transmit moisture which can infiltrate into the wall. Also, roots can grow extensively and can make their way into the basement or crawlspace.

I'm a little surprised an architect would make these statements. With very few exceptions, tree roots are not strong enough to penetrate concrete. So if the foundation is structurally sound - no cracking or crumbling - it is highly unlikely that tree roots can cause any damage. That is typically due to soil subsidence. Same with shrubs that abut or touch the side of a structure. Unless the growth is very dense, evergreen and is continually wetted, there is minimal moisture transfer to walls or siding.

All of this is easily documented.

It looks like you have some straggling rhodos. My guess is they were outcompeted by the hydrangea. I might wait a year or two to see if they fill in.

I'd let the rhododendrons fill in. I can't think of a different evergreen that would look better, and I think evergreen is important there.

Do you think planting an ornamental tree there like a weeping cherry blossom would look good?

No. Even a small tree will block light into the windows, may well lean away from the house and would probably touch the walls before long, entailing pruning which would leave the tree unbalanced. There's plenty of room to plant a tree out in the lawn where it can grow straight and natural.

OTOH, a weeping cherry tree is unlikely to live long enough to be a problem. :-))

Ah. They can live fifty years here so I didn't think of that.

They can live at least 20 here, which is long enough to get big enough to not fit in that space without disfiguring pruning.

Moving the hydrangea back into the corner could be problematic if that corner has poor drainage. Hydrangeas don’t like soggy soil!

Hydrangea? Did you mean the rhododendron?

Yes sorry rhododenderon. you can see some new ones I left pribably growing from the roots

Sorry! Yes, I meant the rhododendron!

Mali I was addressing Chloe.

Here are some ideas:

Nice!

I had a similar empty corner after we removed an old bush — it just looked too bare and sad!

Instead of planting something right away, I actually added a small gazebo-style storage shed to that spot. It gave the area some structure, plus extra storage (bonus!).

If you’re not in a rush to replant, something like that could really clean up the space and make it feel more intentional.

my 4 year old actually started little plantings in flower pots in that corner, and he has been soendispending some time digging there so it seems that space has been appropriated!

I will never understand folks who think mature landscaping is a bad thing, and can only assume this is influenced by our unchecked HGTV consumerism that throws everything out and starts over so everything looks ‘new’. You want mature plants in a garden setting— it looks better, makes your home and yard feel more established, prevents weed infiltration and provides greater benefits to wildlife.

I also wouldn’t stress the moisture concerns re: planting too close to the foundation. Yes you should make sure the grade of your soil causes water to travel away from the foundation, but the foliage and root systems of plants next to the foundation can actually be helpful in dispersing and absorbing rainwater runoff that might otherwise puddle there.

I don’t think you need more shrubs there— if it were me I would find some native wildflowers I liked and plant two masses/ rows: (1) back row would be perennials 3’-4’ in height planted between the front door bumpout and window well; and (2) in front of the back row— or between the shrubs and in front of the window well, plant mounding perennial flowers that get 2’-3’ in height.

Thank you for the feedback. Which kind of wildflowers would you recommend?

Good question. How much sun would you say this area gets, and which direction does the front of your house face?

It faces west and it gets a nice amount of sun