Other than the zone issue, the boxwoods may work as far as growing in that spot. It doesn't look like full sun to me for some reason, but that could just be seasonal due to the grass looking good. Given the narrowness of the strip, you do need something you can keep clipped and that doesn't grow excessively in each season. I actually have an even narrower bed along a sidewalk in the back yard where I have just removed all the deciduous shrubs and most of the perennials and made it almost all columnar and dwarf conifers, and that is not only because I have succumbed to a conifer obsession this year. They are simply more practical as they won't reach out and try to knock my long-suffering DH off his motorcycle as he takes it out. Conifers would be another option that might work for this strip of yours, although depending on whether it is sun or part shade your selection would be much different. From a landscaping point of view, however, it is beyond odd that you've chosen to landscape the one spot on this property that does not need it. This wall is, as has been pointed out, perfectly attractive without any landscaping other than grass and will only become uglier with an unimaginative and poorly designed planting. The back wall, on the other hand, and the surrounding area which leaves you bare to the scrutiny of your neighbours at all times, are screaming out for plant cover. The fact that you've already torn out the sod is not an irretrievable error, and you need not compound it by going ahead with the second error of continuing with a bad plan. You can put sod back down or reseed (though to explain this to DH/DW might not be the easiest thing in the world). And the thing is that boxwood will still leave you with a large surface of dirt underneath them, which will spill onto the walkway and grow weeds like crazy. If you go ahead with this planting, you should still look into groundcovers. Ask at your local nursery what they are (nursery/garden centre, not home depot). Or search these forums for the word "groundcover."

GHG, You should actually have more sun in that spot now than you did in the Fall. The trees were likely in full leaf on September 1st, but they aren't here on April 1st. As we go into summer the sun gets higher in the sky, so unless the object that provides shade is directly overhead you should get more sun not less. The way to deal with this is to just do a sun/shade study. Draw a map of the area. It doesn't have to be to scale, just get the large object like trees, fence, house etc. Then at 9 a.m. and again at Noon and again at 3 p.m. draw where the shade is. Do it now, again on June 21st and again in the Fall. The link below gives detailed directions. Steve Here is a link that might be useful: Mapping Your Shade

You are training them well! Your comment about the hampers is correct. I end up having to collect clothes from their rooms. My 15yo daughter is the worst. I have to avoid her room if I don't want to ruin my day, and her clothes are the deplorable. The underwear, the deodorant stains, and she is the brute on the soccer fields, her uniforms are always stained up. She is a lost cause for now. I can just see your little guy sorting his clothes. ..I think I still have some time with my boys to get a few lessons in, after I learn them myself. I have been washing my clothes since I was 12, but I never learned how to properly do laundry, even in Home Ec.

That stone alcove over the stove would bug me from a cleaning perspective. But major bucks to tear out. How likely are you to do that? You can paint the cabinets by yourself, but you need to use nasty oil based paint and a sprayer. My friend had hers done, the people took them down and sprayed them out in her barn (so it could be done with proper equipment and ventilation) and then they were put back up. You could do that yourself but only if you were very handy as far as taking them down and putting them back up. If you don't prep them properly, the paint will just peel off. My landlady paints her kitchens with very little prep. every couple of years, the paint does not stick. I'm lazy. I'd live with it and save up for the redo. Meanwhile I'd paint the shelving units next to the fireplace the same color as the wall and call it good. I wouldn't paint one stone wall and not the other. I painted a cheapo fireplace wall once for that same friend who did her cabinets. It's a lot of work but in her case it was a fake stone backwall behind a wood stove. Stone is stone-colored. If you want white, cover the stone with white tiles. Painted stone looks weird. But that's just my opinion, YMMV so if you love the look of painted stone, go for it. But I wouldn't do it in the vain hopes it's going to look like something else, other than painted stone.