I'd move that shrub blocking the front door. might look good somewhere else further out in yard. It's nice! Front door is always supposed to be a focal point. Yours looks like you are trying to hide it! Now it says"Go away, leave us alone!" Should be cheerful & inviting saying "Welcome to our home" Doesn't look like any kind of sidewalk leaving the front stoop. Should be wide & wander over to driveway on the left I think. Doesn't look like a front yard that is used, needs personality. Everything is green or rust colored(dead?)! The maple would be pretty in fall with red leaves. Needs more color! The plantings are too much in a row & don't do anything for the windows. Need some rearranging or something. Looks like a nice house but previous owners probably bought bunch of small plants & 1,2,3 glad we got them in the ground! What's for dinner! (Not a lot of planning involved or as many do buy the 1,2 or 5 gal pots on sale at local box store! Hope you get some good tips, you have a lot to work with!! Good Luck!

Nice house! I have a couple of questions. One, how is the house facing? North, South, East or West. Two how wide are the beds and can you make them wider. Three I see the steps but is there a walkway leading from drive to door? Love the Maple and wish we could grow them in my zone. Alas no such luck. I see a Birch? Is this too close to the house? Are you having any issues with that tree? Such as trimming and potential roof damage? It looks great and contrasts well with the home. The Juniper needs to go and that is also why I ask, because it appears that it has too much competition. There is alot of evergreens here. I would try the Juniper on the corner farthest away from the Maple. Under plant with something more desiduous and small. Spirea comes to mind but Barberry would also work. Glad you took the other Barberry out as at least for me it is never a good idea to plant thorny shrubs near walkways. A small mounded Arborvitae under the windows will work but also depending on the exposure so would shrub roses, or willows. (Artic blue or Nishiki) Again depending on the exposure also Azalea and Rhododendron to name a few. This is a great picture to take to your local nursery. I feel you have many options here. Under planting with some perinnials will give you some color and punch to the shrubs. Good luck and send some after pictures!

thanks for the responses,
and to answer questions, yes I know that it is over planted. thats why I asked on here because since everything is pretty mature I am trying to save my back by not moving everything.

So ... 1. that one spruce is not directly in front of the door it is to the right of the door its my camera angle sorry it was hard to get it all in the shot

2. the rocket juniper is going in the trash or to anyone who will take it I have problems with them they never take when in my care I think its more our clay soil though they dont like wet feet.

3. there is a walkway cant see it in the shot again camera angle the bed touching the house is about 3 ft deep and there is no widening it because it goes from house to walkway, and then on the other side there is more bed and then grass the walk goes to the right of the door to the drive way I do not intend to change this because I cannot.

4. the reason everything looks dead is because this shot was taken yesterday so nothing is blooming yet.

5. I do have touches of color when things are more in bloom.
6. I agree about the quickie planting thats probably true LOL
7. thanks about the nice house -- we like it :)
8. The house is facing west
9. the maple looks beautiful almost all year long thank you again

10. you are right the paper birch is too close to the house as with many trees at this house, we cut it back as needed and are just waiting out its life since they dont live that long -- we just planted a new tree to take over its place in framing that side of the house but further down the yard
11. You nailed the reason I took out the bayberry almost blinded my kids a few times if you let them get out of hand even a little and picking up the trimmings is just awful, I would not have any if I could help it, so no more since I still have some in the back -- there must have been a sale.

Sooooo.... do you all think its savable I mean my mind wants to group the boxwoods and do a repeating pattern but its a lot of work and I am thinking maybe someone could pull out one or two things that could be moved to make it work and then I could add perennial flowers for dimension

I would want a clean slate except for the maple. Just think about how much continual pruning you will have to do. The boxwoods will always be above the bottom of the windows and not lined up pleasingly unless you move them. Trying to piece things together is harder and will most always look like you pieced them together. Instead go for a well thought out plan with cohesiveness.