The biggest issue here is the “beltline” problem common with raised ranches. Your current planting beds are way too shallow—they hug the foundation like a tight belt, which makes the house look top-heavy and disconnected from the yard. You need to pull those beds out at least 6 to 8 feet from the wall with a nice sweeping curve. This gives you room for actual layering: keep the evergreens in the back, but add a foreground of lower perennials or ornamental grasses. This depth creates the visual weight at the bottom needed to balance that big roof.
Also, look at your entry. You’ve got stairs dumping you right near the edge of the driveway with no transition. You need a proper “landing pad” at the bottom of those steps—maybe a 6×6 area of pavers or flagstone that flares out to meet the driveway. It acts as a permanent welcome mat and creates a purposeful transition from asphalt to home. Before you start ripping up turf, run a photo through GardenDream to test how deep curves look versus straight lines; it saves a lot of back-breaking shovel work if you get the hardscape layout right on screen first.
OkUnderstanding2486
Take your overgrown flower beds down to mulch and start over, add a small Rock wall at the corner of the bed or as the whole perimeter.
JustADadWCustody
Get a tree in front with a bed around it. Just pay attention to the wires. Get some edging around that driveway. Reconsider those shutters. Maybe some awnings? Bigger lights. Bigger bed in front.
Zimmerman_Mulch
Here’s a quick mockup of the idea: widen the front beds with a clean stone edge, add an ornamental tree on the left for height, then layer evergreens for structure with hydrangeas and colorful perennials for bloom, plus a few simple path lights and darker rails/planters to add contrast and make the entry pop. I might’ve gotten a little carried away with the pathway, but I absolutely love the idea of the tree in the corner. It just brings it together somehow. Should out AI for helping me visualize what I was thinking.
5 Comments
The biggest issue here is the “beltline” problem common with raised ranches. Your current planting beds are way too shallow—they hug the foundation like a tight belt, which makes the house look top-heavy and disconnected from the yard. You need to pull those beds out at least 6 to 8 feet from the wall with a nice sweeping curve. This gives you room for actual layering: keep the evergreens in the back, but add a foreground of lower perennials or ornamental grasses. This depth creates the visual weight at the bottom needed to balance that big roof.
Also, look at your entry. You’ve got stairs dumping you right near the edge of the driveway with no transition. You need a proper “landing pad” at the bottom of those steps—maybe a 6×6 area of pavers or flagstone that flares out to meet the driveway. It acts as a permanent welcome mat and creates a purposeful transition from asphalt to home. Before you start ripping up turf, run a photo through GardenDream to test how deep curves look versus straight lines; it saves a lot of back-breaking shovel work if you get the hardscape layout right on screen first.
Take your overgrown flower beds down to mulch and start over, add a small Rock wall at the corner of the bed or as the whole perimeter.
Get a tree in front with a bed around it. Just pay attention to the wires. Get some edging around that driveway. Reconsider those shutters. Maybe some awnings? Bigger lights. Bigger bed in front.
Here’s a quick mockup of the idea: widen the front beds with a clean stone edge, add an ornamental tree on the left for height, then layer evergreens for structure with hydrangeas and colorful perennials for bloom, plus a few simple path lights and darker rails/planters to add contrast and make the entry pop. I might’ve gotten a little carried away with the pathway, but I absolutely love the idea of the tree in the corner. It just brings it together somehow. Should out AI for helping me visualize what I was thinking.
https://preview.redd.it/d2krl0xhq2kg1.png?width=1536&format=png&auto=webp&s=c63f676ddbf3a42998c6c4e5dc1da2f75ed0ceb2
A mini pond for gold fish with a water fall