Please also disregard the plants and ugly colored mulch I put down. I have no idea what to put under the picture window to add fullness, texture, design, etc. Thanks!!! Here's the link...
http://i334.photobucket.com/albums/m418/ang57chet/frontrighthouse.jpg
Well what kind of box woods are those and who tall are they going to get. How much sun does that spot get?
Are you planning on keeping the plants under the window? Are you looking for perennial flowers or flowering shrubs? Do you like the shape of the stones around the bed?
Some kind of sculpture would look really nice, especially if you need to fill in the space until your plants get bigger.
I always like highly fragrant outside windows. How about a bright pink magnolia for a little height. Keep the design a little asymetric for more visual interest, so maybe balance the magnolia tree witha small flowering shrub in a similar color? Peonie might be fun.
I have a shed very similar to that pictured. I planted climbing iceberg roses on either side and they are climbing up beautifully. They are evergreen, so look good year round, and the roses are white, so it's stunning when they bloom. Require no care, but make sure not to get the grafted type of rose.
You don't want something that's going to grow too big and block the windows, I'd put some kind of yard art/hardscape till your plants and shrubs grow.
I definitely think you need some color in there. If it were me, I would tend towards yellows - because that would play well with the blue color in your shutters. I would do some yellow daylilies in front (Stella d'Oro or similar) and then some different types of rudbeckia mixed in - maybe Cherokee or Irish Eyes or something like that? Then I would put some fireworks goldenrod (Solidago) in the back, which get a little taller and will produce beautiful yellow blooms in fall. I would mix in some "May Night" salvia which have spiky dark purplish-blue blooms, which would look lovely with the yellows and again compliment the color of your home. Plus, they flower profusely and fill in quickly.
On the other hand, you could go with all pinks and purples. You could put some taller hollyhocks or Joe Pye Weed or Verbena bonariensis in the back, and put some medium pink colors like coneflower (Echinacea) in the middle. You could still use the May Night salvia in that color scheme. Then you could put some shorter pinks or purples in front - even some annuals like petunias. Or, perhaps some dianthus in pink and white shades (such as Dianthus firewitch or similar) and some silvery grey foliage like artemisia or dusty miller or something like that. Again, it would work well contrasting with the blue of the shutters and pink looks nice against silvery color foliage.
Just some ideas to play with!
Claire
I see roses on either side of the window for color leaving the barberry and the boxwood there. I'd go with either double delight perhaps or tropicana perhaps. And then directly under the window create a windowbox, and in order to not screw it to the house make a wood box with legs and plant various annuals in it so when you look out the window you have the immediate color, OR keep the boxwood shorter and plant a row of roses, shorter ones so they don't overtake your window behind the boxwood, then if they get black spot the boxwood will hide the lower affected areas OR a couple pieces of yard art between the boxwood, or what about whiskey barrels then if you decided you didn't like it you could move it and you could plant various things each year. OHHH maybe an ornamental grass at the corner of your house. Even a few smaller ornamental grasses among the plants you have there would get you different texture. And then put a few annuals as well along the front of the border or in clumps. Things like impatiens. Just lots more suggestions. I am assuming that it is facing either the east or north beings you have the hostas but that's just an assumption.
I would add some nandina (not the dwarf variety, the leggy variety) -- it's very hardy, would add color year round with the leaves and berries, and, well placed, would add some height without a lot of bulk. I might move the barberry as it won't look good in front in winter (no leaves) and pick something a little softer than those foundation plants: your house is lovely but I think plants with a softer outline would complement the angles of the plant.
The hostas are lovely but again will be gone in winter. If you get enough shade you might consider lenten roses which look great year round and if not you might place some variegated and solid liriope which is indestructible (I don't think deer are going to come right up to your house are they) and would add green year round.
I wouldn't add anything huge, because you have a nice look with the picture window, white house and green lawn, and really just need accents in color and shape.
I would go for a perennial garden. Many homeowners plant the obligatory shrub/yew planting under front windows and it is as bland as bread and butter.
