What are the growing conditions..sun (when)shade (when)
moisture source?
How deep is the bed (far from the foundation)?
Do you want an anchor shrub/tree? Evergreen?
Will you be disappointed by the leafless trunk and branches in winter?

How far away will it be viewed from? (how far away is the street or sidewalk?)

What is your house construction? Wood or brick ?

that "circle top window is called 'palladian'

Are you trying to limit the view into the house, shade the window or just have something medium tall and colorful?

Once you settle a crape myrtle it's there for good and they can get huge in every direction requiring a ladder and a pruning pole (or full yard care people).
Dogwood needs air and some dappled shade above it to be happy.. They are pretty only briefly in the early spring.
Same thing with flowering fruit trees like cherry,weeping cherry, plums etc.

Does this front bed have a hose tap on the foundation?
Is it the front foundation bed or a bed further out in the front yard?
Will this be the only living element in the bed?
Some plants don't do well under or around trees and planting them in later isn't always good for the tree roots.

Giving you a bit to think about hoping you'll avoid costly or disappointing mistakes.

pmcgrady, go to the nearest botanical gardens>LOOK As for a Crape Myrtle, I am very fond of, not only because they are beautiful, but my Grandfather Middleton introduced them to America. They now come in all sorts of shapes and sizes "IF" the spot is right for the spot and conditions there.
My LOVE for the Japanese Maple.precedes that of any other plant if space is available and conditions are right......joseph

Vitex might work. They don't get as tall as some crapes, and have blooms for several months.

Vitex(chasteberry) is my all time favorite but it attracts carpenter bees which are very destructive to wood structures. Thus my question if house was wood or brick.

Why should someone worry about pruning a crape myrtle as it grows large? They should be shaped while they are still young....and not as mature trees. Even the largest varieties are still considered a small to medium tree.

pmc, how tall is "too tall "?

The native grancy greybeard (Chionanthus virginicus) is nice.

I need a tree that won't get larger than 8-10 feet and can survive on a few hours of sunlight. That side of the house gets the afternoon sun but there are larger trees that will block the area I need to plant so the later in the afternoon it gets, the less sunlight it will get.