Sentinels at the corners of buildings emphasize rather than soften. Use something broader, such as hollies and other broadleaf evergreens - a different kind at each corner.

I agree about broad evergreens, assuming you have enough room.

You're so lucky the builders kept that big oak!

A bit off-topic: How far are the foundation shrubs from the house? You'll need enough space between shrubs and house for access to the house ... window-washing ... re-painting ... tuck-pointing -- not to mention using the hose! It's a good idea to allow at least a foot of free space, taking into consideration the size the shrubs will be in a few years.

Thank you for the comments.

Missingtheobvious - You bring up a good point. It's probably obvious that the landscaping was done by me and not a professional - and I am about as amateur as it gets. So, I decided to hire a professional to landscape the front of the house.

The landscaper has given me the following sketch for the front yard landscape design. The sketch suggests using Arborvitae's to frame the house and I'm not completely sold on this idea....

Does anyone have any thoughts/suggestions about the sketch? Any help would be greatly appreciated - this is my first home and I am completely clueless when it comes to landscaping and garden design.

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