First, if you click on Gallery at the beginning of the forum, you will find some instructions on posting pictures that might be of help.

Your front garden should make you happy! It looks wonderful.
I love the stone path and the way you have balanced the planting with duplications on either side of the path.

I don't have any suggestions about the shrubs but will be following closely. I am in the midst of redoing my front foundation and am not doing well........

You've done a wonderful job - your front yard is very cottagey. I don't know what shrubs work well for your area. I love hydrangeas, but you might be looking for something evergreen.

Mary

I love your front yard gardens - as Mary said they look very cottagey From the long view I really like the color of your shrubs as it seems like it grounds the beds and ties into your shutter color. The close up just looks a little sparse, but perhaps that is simply the view. I don't have an answer, but also think that Anabelle hydrangeas are a wonderful addition to a cottage garden. wig

Love the overall look! What are the shrubs you have at the foundation? The 2 at the corners look great. Are they evergreen? I think you need something with more height on either side of the porch and definitely evergreen. I'm in a different zone, so not much help.

how about some boxwood for the foundation. they stay green for me yearround in the chicago burbs.you could also add a climbing rose or some clematis against the house to bring the garden up to eye level. the cottage garden look of the front yard is beautiful.

Your garden is very pretty. I love your path!

When I was looking at the picture showing the view straight up the path to the house, it seems as if you could use something on either side of the staircase. Maybe something a little shorter than the nice shrubs you have further towards the corner. You could continue the symmetry or put in something different, but complementary in size, on either side.

From the close up photos, it does look as if you already have something planted where I indicate (at least on one side). What is it? Will it maybe fill in better with time?

Maryjane- your front yard is gorgeous- what a perfect cottage garden it is.. and so inviting! the walkway just makes you want to meander your way to the door for sure!
and your little one ( i assuem) is as beautiful as the flowers!

The big purpley shrubs at each corner are really very nice. I woudlnt change those.. but it looks liek either nothign is betwen thsoe and the stairs or if there is, we can't see it because it hasnt filled in or gotten big enough yet?

do you need some roses there maybe? :) I'm in rose mode. :)
But you knwo what i saw when i looked- and i'm not sure it helps the foundation planting.. but i envisioned a great big wide arbor over the front door and stair covered in climbing roses..! ahhh.. wouldnt that be something? ( i have to make everythign a project don't i?)

i have no arbor with roses at my front door- come to think of it- that's what my house needs too!

but the garden is gorgeous really. tell us what's along side the steps and between the steps and those corner bushes?

How very pretty! What is it about the shrub you don't like? Is it the form? The size? The color?

How about a dwarf indian hawthorne? The white variety grows in a rounded mound and it's evergreen.

Beautiful! I love your pathway. Colors are great.

I agree that a little something extra around the steps might be nice. Have you considered tall containers with evergreen shrubs? You could underplant them with trailing flowers, spilling out of the containers to marry them to your cottage garden.

Since I'm not in zone 5, I don't know what evergreen shrubs would work, but boxwoods, soft-touch hollies, or arborvitae would be used here. Osmanthus fragrans, while it grows very large, can be trimmed and shaped easily...a bit of work, but it is a slow growing. Incredible fragrance. Can you grow gardenias?

Cameron

Several posters mentioned boxwoods. I couldn't decide that the shrubs nearer the steps might be, but if they don't take to some pruning to shape them up, you might add some boxwoods nearer the weigelia -- I think that's weigelia? The vase shape of that calls for a mounded shape and even if you don't like your boxwood pruned like meatballs (I luv boxwood meatballs) they can be nicely shaped with careful pruning.

When you refer to 'scrappy' do you mean they haven't filled in yet? Time will fix that and a little pruning at the right time will encourage thicker growth.

Nell