Beginner Gardening: Help! Foundation design nightmare?, 1 by trusuprise

trusuprise wrote:
First off, I appreciate any ounce of help any of you can throw my way. :)

I'm starting off with a 34 year old split foyer. It's bad enough the house is pretty featureless, but I want my foundation planting to possibly mask that.

I am in zone 6(a), in Northern Virginia. Believe it or not, I work in a garden center and although I help customers on a daily basis with their landscape ideas, I'm having trouble finding inspiration for my own home. I've searched high and low for ideas for split foyers online and have come up with nothing.

Here's a few things I was considering once I rip out what is currently planted: double red knockout roses in front of variegated english boxwood on either side of the door way. Perhaps a Japanese Maple (Orangeola) on the right side of the house between the windows. Some rhodos and/or crape myrtle might be nice also, but their heights may not work.

Beyond that, I'm clueless. The low windows make design difficult, and I still can't tell if I want all short plants, or if something taller will draw the eye away from the split foyer look.

Please help!