Landscaping the new house - Front Yard

My family  moved into a new house this past May. I knew from the start that I was in a gardeners heaven. My yard was a blank canvas. First thing on the to do list was removing a palm tree and some other trees that were either dead or in the wrong place. Unfortunately I did not get pictures before they were removed. A 36" box Shamel Ash and a 24" box Purple leaf Plum were added to the front. These went in before the start of summer so they would hopefully have time to acclimate before the summer set in. 

Site where Date Palm was removed

Purple leaf flowering Plum
will grow to 15-20', deciduous in winter
with pink flowers in the spring.

Shamel Ash - semi deciduous, grows approx. 6ft a year. Dark green glossy leaves. Great shade tree.

Existing planter beds before new plants were planted.

 The plants and gravel were all removed and a new drip line was installed. I planted White Simplicity roses, black night butterfly bushes, morea iris and liriopes.  Pentas, blue salvia, vincas and portulaca were added for constant summer color. The roses will grow to a height of 3-4ft and the butterfly bushes will reach a height of 4-5 ft. A large Star Jasmine was trellised on the entry wall with an Arabian Night jasmine shrub planted in front.  

The fragrance from the Jasmine is such a welcoming scent as one approaches the front door. Jasmines are one of my favorite flowering plants.