Here is the right hand side, basically the same layout stretched out a little longer:

If you keep the beds confined to the curbed area, you will not be able to to achieve an optimum landscape. It's too pinched. A larger view is probably needed.

I am very familiar with nola and BR.

I think those palms are fairly overgrown, I would trim out the bottom fronds giving you more bed space. That would also draw your eye east to west. Your bed isn't deep enough for a lot of stuff so quality is more important than quantity in your case. I would take out the shrubs, appear to be barberry. I would replace with things like daylily, Louisiana Iris, and birds of paradise if in nola for great color. You could then use sweet potato vine in the front of the bed to break up the edging. Think uptown landscaping. I would then look into a mandavellia or something with color for the area that gets to 4foot in front of the brick wall on the left. Maybe even if your feeling wily a dwarf meyer lemon or key lime that you espalier yourself in front of the brick wall on a piece of black metal garden lattice, try to find something with 3ft wide by 6ft high, I in vision it with flour de lis on the top and fresh limes or lemons in my mind. I wouldn't find a cheap piece of metal work either, it is going to be viewed everyday and thin aluminum or steel is decent but I would go out and spend 150$ on it. Any kind of climbing vine would work and if the front of the house faces south you can get away with most tropical vines.

I would also kill the grass on the front entry right in front of the house # on both sides for an area to get two 2 foot high pots. That will pull your eye more to the front door and make your beds seem larger than they are. In them I would go with a 3 plant design involving spillers, fillers, and focal. Something like a grass, some bright coleus, and supertunia or echoing the sweet potato vine. If your in nola the spv will survive the winters that don't get cold, you can propagate it easily in water, and it will look good. You will have to prune the heck out of a dwarf meyer lemon to keep it espaliered in that space but the lime will work. Its about as small a space as I'd ever try an espalier but would be amazingly cool and great conversation piece, not to mention the fresh fruit. I am in town some if you needs some help hit me up.

JV28, a heads up... your thread will probably wither on the vine unless you interact.

Thanks for all the great advice Oceandweller!

My wife and I love the idea of planters or urns to put more focus on the front door area which I know is lacking. The palms will be coming out as well as the hedges, since they aren't fitting in with my vision. The black lattice as you described was something I thought about, I have a friend who does metal work and could possibly fabricate something for me. As much as I would love to have azaleas or camellias, i'm starting to agree that there's simply not enough room for something like that unless I can find a dwarf version and keep it shaped...

Thanks for all the great advice Oceandweller!

My wife and I love the idea of planters or urns to put more focus on the front door area which I know is lacking. The palms will be coming out as well as the hedges, since they aren't fitting in with my vision. The black lattice as you described was something I thought about, I have a friend who does metal work and could possibly fabricate something for me. As much as I would love to have azaleas or camellias, i'm starting to agree that there's simply not enough room for something like that unless I can find a dwarf version and keep it shaped...

Hope you'll consider taking out the lower branches of the pams. They're both beautiful specimens......and you wouldn't lose anything doing that, other than delay removal time. I really think you might end up loving that lush greenery grounding your home at the corners.

Rosie, with palm envy

Hey Rosie,

Don't you worry, they will be going to a good home! We will be transplanting them to a friend's house.