Beginner Gardening: ideas for front of house, 1 by fatima526

fatima526 wrote:
You all helped me with the back yard in this thread , almost 5 years ago.
[HYPERLINK@davesgarden.com]

Now time to tackle the front. (My house on the left) . The lawn is all torn up because of water line replacement, and installation of the white fence.

Looking for suggestions / cautions as I consider some DIY landscaping.

- some sort of mulch area , with plants and a small ( 10-12 foot) springtime-flowering tree at this end of the fence
- extend this area back towards the front walk area so it all looks harmonious
- minimize the sight line along the side of the house ( keeping curb appeal in mind, I can’t really think why I ‘d want to draw the eye down there). Although there is a gate at the back, perhaps a simple path
- minimize / eliminate the amount of lawn down the side of the house
- low maintenance. I’m OK with fall and spring cleanups, pruning, and watering. And if the tree needs pruning to keep from growing more than 10-12 feet, and to keep its branches from extending over the property line, I’m OK with that too
- accommodate those two downspouts
- as part of this project I do need to address uneven ground where rainwater tends to pool, the area immediately to right of where the Belgium block curves. So will introduce a gentle slope (2 inches higher than current) from the blocks, towards the fence

Thanks in advance for any guidance!