This is the front garden here. The lawn was reshaped and the beds enlarged, so that both appear to flow around the house.
Straight lines were removed and the lawn was curved. The shrubs along the wall will grow up to give privacy and add the illusion of 'borrowed landscape' as they blend with the woods over the road.
Two raised beds were put in to give some change in height and the lawn was curved around them. Shrubs and hardy perennials were planted that will flower from early spring to to late autumn, and some over winter.
The lawn on this side of the house was never used and was wasted space. It was removed and some square foot beds were put in for herbs and salad stuff.
The area outside the kitchen door was turned into a small shade garden. The mainstays are Euphorbias and hardy ferns, with Pulmonaria, Aquilegia, Cyclamen and forget-me-nots for spring followed by Dicentra and self-sown Nigella. Morels grow in the bark in spring.
This shows what a good tidy up and some new plants will do! It isn't very expensive but makes a real difference to the feel of things.
The same scene from a slightly different angle, with added plant supports and containers for bright colour.