Also I know a lot of the shrubs in front are overgrown and I plan on doing a hard prune where I can

You might be pushing your luck with hydrangeas in full sun in Z7.

Also, I think that limelights will grow way too large for that space. You’d soon be right back where you are now with overgrown, too-big shrubs in front of your house. (If they don’t burn up in your full sun, that is.) My limelights are easily 7’ tall and 6’ wide here in Z5B.

Thank you for removing the burning bushes.

In zone 7, I wish that the majority of your shrubs were evergreen. I've seen landscapes in suburban NJ and the mid-Atlantic that looked as good in winter as they do in summer. The appearance is static, yes, and some people crave seasonal change. I like to see perennials used as accent plants to give the seasonal change. That's my unsolicited opinion LOL.

The Little Limes (or another smallish paniculata) will be nice. Would you consider a holly behind them?

Do you have any issues with deer?

Your bushes are overgrown but you may also have a crowding issue along the entire front. Before planting anything new, remove the burning bushes and hard prune (at an appropriate time during the year) so you see what you have to work with.

@cecily 7A Thanks for your reply! I like the idea of adding holly bushes in this spot to add an evergreen element here for the winter. My problem is I have an evergreen kind of block in the middle of my garden and on either side I have deciduous bushes. Is there a specific holly you would recommend? And should I add hollies somewhere else to balance the layout?

@Design Fan (NE z7a) I have some deer damage but not much. I have hydrangeas in a few spots around my yard and they stay relatively untouched after taking some simple steps to keep them away. But I am open to any plant suggestions that deer naturally avoid!

Blue Girl holly is commonly available and it's a fine shrub. Please don't add more hollies to your arrangement without subtracting something else. I'm reminded of a Monty Python skit because dang, you have a lot of shrubberies. This winter you can study your layout and contemplate the possibility of adding evergreens.

To my eye, your landscaping overwhelms your house. I'd like to be able to see the front porch. It looks nice. I'd replace the big shrubs with low growing sorts that would frame the house.

I think you'd benefit from clearing more of the area in front of the porch and considering the landscape as a whole. What plants do you have? What provides a lot of decorative value? What's invasive? What can be moved? What's your vision for the whole? What do you like, what do you not like so much? What's crowding out something you like better? etc, etc.

Some visual

@Celery. Visualization, Rendering images wow thank you! It is so helpful to see a visual like this

Very nice home and yard. I agree a visual path from the street to the front door would make it much more inviting.