Love these

First it would be pretty difficult to see into your LR from the road . Sit on the front porch whenever you want again no one is looking hones.tly. I hate the trees you have now they look goofy as they are planted. Do a fence with few nicely placed shrubs that the deer do not like and landscape how you like inside the fence . I do like the one pic with the boulders but that would require some big changes . The trees planted on the right in your pic are planed way to close together so maybe start but moving some of them around at the back too. Remember trees grow and those will overtake the house in no time . Also how much light in the house are you willing to lose with huge trees. I am planting red twig dog wood in my front yard apparently as close to deer proof as I can find where I live

Will recommend that you hire a landscape architect or a landscaping company that has a designer on staff.

Thanks for the ideas! I’m trying to find a way to keep as much sun while also having privacy.

Maybe a combo of a lattice with some landscape.

It would be helpful if your drawing was better labeled. It's very hard to figure out what you mean. Often, you best bet is one tree sited perfectly than a thick, tall hedge. Where's your sitting room? Is it the window in the left front of the house? One weeping cherry might do the trick. Sure, it will be leafless in the winter, but people won't see clearly through the branches into your sitting room.

Where are your lot lines? Just beyond the driveway or is the barn-shaped shed yours? Moving the driveway would get you more planting space.

Don't need it that high for your porch. Nor that dense.

what kind of Code set backs are required from the roadway?

I would build a privacy fence along the roadway to shield you from the traffic.

extend the area in front of the 'sitting' room (replace the windows with patio doors)

for a paver patio space for outdoor enjoyment. add a retractable awning for privacy from neighbors in the evenings.

You may be able to limit deer activity and plant whatever you want. Deer resistant plants will be eaten by hangary deer.

Thank you for your ideas! Our deer are not hungry, there is a huge green belt and I think they are just walking past our hedges on the way to our fruit trees and grass.

I’ve hung soap in them and that helps a little, but I’m hoping to get a landscape plan and then go from there with a local nursery.

We have thought about a fence but it makes our home look like a compound when you pull up. 🙃

Can you move the trees onto your lot and fence behind them? I would separate the trees so they have room to grow and spread.

Also, check your town ordinance for how much land needs to remain unencombered. It is usually 10'+ from the middle of your road. (In other words, that land is not yours to do with what you want.)

As far as landscaping: @Norwood Architects has given you good advice.

Aside from that:

For your concerns regarding neighbors and Amazon drivers looking into your windows- you can privatize your windows with window film- so that you can see out but they can’t see in. I would just add: I don’t know what the situation is, and how nosy your neighbors could possibly be. But I do get alot of Amazon deliveries; and in my experience, and from what I have observed- Amazon drivers are pretty busy and focused on their own business.

I do not get a sense of how much available space you have on your property, etc. I do not know if you are in a position to erect a structure.

A slat fence not too high say 5' would not look like a compound. Especially with plants of different heights randomly planted in front and back to soften it. Offset sections from each other to avoid one long fence line.

The thuja or any trees and shrubs look better in groups of different species, not in rows. The tallest in back or in the middle. Along the fence line and in islands inside the yard. Native plants are mostly deer resistant. Drive around your area and see which are thriving.

I agree, it's not easy to see under the porch into the house and no neighbor or driver wlll be trying to look in anyway. I think it may be more you looking out so plant according to your vantage point...not trying to cover every angle from the street. The whole perimeter does not need to be fenced or planted.

The current arrangement feels very hemmed in, not nature inspired when one thinks of the PNW.

Ah! You’re onto me! I grew up in a very private, deep forest with no neighbors and I think that’s sort of why I feel the need for the ridiculous privacy.

I adore the idea of varying heights and placements to create more natural flow. I’m getting excited.

I’ll have to bring out my light pad and sketch up some ideas……….

I’ll have to drive around and see what I can find for inspiration. Although we do live in an area where a lot of retirees spend 40 hrs a week in their yards and install specialty motion-sensor sprinklers just to keep animals at bay. lol

Here are a few more photos. The whole drawing is our property. For this post I am focused on the front yard, but eventually need to make a plan to attach to a side yard for entertaining since that is the main flat area (and I don’t want to entertain in the front yard).

We are a private road, and all neighbors have landscaped up to the edge of the private drive, so I’m fine with doing the same.

I Highlighted the front sitting room window in a pink box.

On the Birds Eye view I highlighted these areas:
Driveway is pink - we can park 4 cars
The front Yard grass - green lines
Gravel parking - purple dots
Outline of house & shed - blue
Row of hedges - yellow

I just saw your response, thanks. So the "road" is actually a shared driveway? Where is the public street in your map? Where is the large tree sketched in the lower left, it does not show up in photos? Where is the fence next to the lawn in your map, I don't see it sketched in?

There is no public road, but this road is shared by a couple neighbors. I added a Birds Eye view.

I forgot to add the fence, it’s on the right side of the purple/gravel parking.

I am liking the curved flower beds.

I added more photos!

Photos:

I would keep the curved row of Thuja and follow the curved line of various ferns in front of them on the house side --green line.

I would remove the fence between the gravel parking pad and the lawn...make the dividing line a curve not straight by adding curved flower beds --green blobs-- with trees and shrubs there but leave a peekaboo effect to see across the lawn to the ferns as you approach the house down the driveway.

Enhance the sightllne with a long winding flagstone path from the gravel and through the planting beds, and in the lawn parallel to the driveway... to lead the eye to the porch to add dimension and depth -- gray dots.

No fencing needed.

Oh lala. I love the shapes and pathway! Thank you so much for all the visuals.

A few follow up questions:

1. We have to replace the thujas because of deer - what would be a better option?

2. The front is full sun -might need an alternative to the fern (which is one of my favorites!)

3. If we remove the fence by the gravel parking, are there other ways to create a little bit of privacy/break that sideline a little?

Cheers!

*to break the site line

Junipers are usually considered deer reistant. And there is one called Blue Point which has an upright growth habit that is especially good for reisting deer damage, or so I'm reading. You could look it up and see what you think.

The Blue Point seems to be a great fit! There are some other shorter Junipers I see in my neighbors yard, the deer completely
Ignore so that’s also a good sign!

Thank you!

*about the site-line next to the gravel parking. Several neighbors to the left of our property have dogs and if they see us in the yard or they see our cat in the yard they come tearing through.

I’m going to sketch some of these concepts and share my favorites.

Thanks for the like.

I would plant shrubs on each side of the fence.

I'm not a pro, but I googled ferns for PNW full sun and it came up with some varieties that would work.

I went on a little hunt, and found several ferns that can do full/bright sun, they are even drought resistent. I absolutely love ferns, thanks for the idea!

I've realized, I'm willing to let go of the extreme need for privacy.

However, when I started considering removing all the thujas, I realized that would completely expose my vehicle which is parked right on the other side. It's quite ugly to be looking out from the house onto the lawn/yard to see my big white vehicle.

So I need to consider how I would landscape to conceal this. I can add another photo to give an idea of what I'm looking at from the front door/window/patio.

I don’t normally pull up this far, but this is what I see right now.

Would you consider a mixed border like some of those Tracefloyd posted? If you already indicated your preference about this choice or another, I apologize for missing it. I think mixed borders are much prettier and interesting than a row of all the same trees/plants. Also better in that if disease hits one plant, you won't lose the entire border.

The property really needs a fence and or fences. The fence(s) do not necessarily have to go all the way around the property- since you are concerned about it looking like a compound. Although, personally, I would not have that concern. Landscaping, alone, is not going to solve all the issues you are detailing. And personally, unless I had someone to maintain all the strategic landscaping, I would not want to be bothered with it. YMMV.

I tried to create a visual to show the idea of a fence on the car side. The fence is too low in this one.

Thank you for the visuals!

This property is a design dilemma. From deer issues, to wanting minimal maintenance/some privacy screening.

I have lots to sketch up this weekend.

I would consider those bead curtains for the end of the porch.

There are many varieties of conifers that are deer resistant and they come in all shapes and sizes. Junipers tend to be deer resistant, as well as many pines. You will also want to consider how fast they grow and the mature height. Many nurseries now state 10 yr size and NOT mature size. We had the same situation as you when we moved into our house. We wanted privacy but for it to look professionally landscaped. One of my favorites is Pinus nigra ‘Oregon Green’. We planted ours in a strategic location and it does a great job of creating the privacy we want, but we also have beds with native grasses and perennials around it, etc to provide intested and more privacy. The deer walk right past this conifer (and we have many in the yard now, mostly dwarf varieties). It is a beautiful conifer; another is Pinus leucodermis 'Kaleidoscope'. This Bosnian pine has lighter new growth. It is a smaller variety than the Pinus Nigra 'Oregon Green'. If you want to see interesting conifer varieties go to tinycones.com. Michael, the owner, is very knowledgeable and has a price list where you can see a large variety of conifer options. You can then look for one you want locally, as Mountain Meadows (tinycones.com) is in Weaverville, NC. They are still building the description of each conifer on their webpage, so some you need to copy, paste, and search for more info.

I love the look of this design with conifers from finegardening. I am trying to replicate the weeping conifers to complete our front yard privacy area. Good luck

Oh thank you for all the insight on the conifers! The landscape you shared is lovely. I’ll have to look into some
Of these for my project.

I have t had time to sketch everything out, but it’s coming together in my head more and more!

Time for an update. We took our time with all the feedback and can up with a plan we are excited about.

I wanted to share the sketches - I really appreciate everyone’s help!

Our plan is to do what we can that’s no-cost/labor, and most likely we’ll do the biggest changes next year. We are:
•removing gravel parking, going back to grass
•removing fencing by gravel, adding a large bed there
•removing all thujas (thanks to everyone’s feedback that they look weird, lol)
•adding serval curved beds
•focusing on deer-proof, full sun: large rocks, varying grasses, layers of Rosemary and Lavendar

we
We are: