Garden novice advice plea

[Helpimill]

These are pictures of the front of our house which I am hoping I can make look alot better by spring/ summer but I have absolutely no clue.

The long area in front of the fence gets alot of pine needles from the trees across the road. I'd really like some type of low shrub perhaps? Something with very little maintenance but fills most of the area and looks nice.

The photo in the corner in from of the steading, I'd like to fill it out better. Something with a bit of height at the back but low in the front so I can see past it when pulling out of the drive.

Any advice would be most welcome 🙏

Where in the country are you OP? The light and the building both make me think north. It affects the timings of things and also what will grow and what won't. I'm having trouble identifying what you've already got, except I think the plant on the left of the window (as we face it) looks like it could be a broom, which will flower - either yellow or orangey yellow or pinkish - late spring or early summer. Again how far north you are affects the flowering dates. Further north/later flowering. It'd be good to have some idea of what's already there before deciding what you might add, because it'll inform you as to colours/shapes/suitability re soil type etc. Could you get some close ups of individual plants including leaf shapes?
Also, any idea what the soil is like? Broom is drought tolerant and does well in poor soils, so the soil may be not very rich if it is one.

Thank you for reply! We are north east of Scotland. I think it is a broom because it does flower in the summer. I'm not sure what the others are, I'll take some close up photos of what's there. I wouldn't think it would be great soil as its surrounded by tar.

North Scotland is pretty north! I'm no expert but I think you're going to be limited, a lot of things we can grow down south won't survive up there. Is the site quite exposed? By which I mean is it open and therefore susceptible to wind? Because wind can hurt plants as well as cold. If it's sheltered you get a bit more choice.
I've been trying to look up things that might suit and annoyingly google keeps saying there is this marvellous article on 100 plants to grow in Scotland but it's an error 404 no matter what link you try and click from.
If you go to the websites of reputable plant sellers they will always give you info on the conditions plants like, and often you can search for north, Scotland, cold tolerant etc.
Here's a few things I think it's worth you trying but as I say I'm no expert on northern gardening! And by the way you're getting pine needles because pines are defo a plant to consider up north!

Buy Alchemilla mollis (Lady's Mantle) in the UK (jacksonsnurseries.co.uk) This will make bright fairly low clumps in front of your other plants, could be a good one to fill up some of the empty space.

Buy Buddleja davidii Nanho Blue (Butterfly Bush (Buddleja)) in the UK (jacksonsnurseries.co.uk) I think a buddleia would grow for you OP. This is just one example. This is a shrub and could get quite tall depending on variety.

Same with hardy geraniums. Could go at the front amongst the Alchemilla, more lowish growing clumps with pretty flowers in the pink to mauve to blue range and whites too. Again this is just one example, look up hardy geraniums on a plant shop site - note, these are NOT the red flowered things people used to call geraniums (lots of people still do but they are now designated pelargoniums, and they are annuals whereas hardy geraniums are perennials).
Example - Buy Geranium macrorrhizum 'Lingwersen's Variety' (Cransbill) in the UK (jacksonsnurseries.co.uk)

Some ideas anyway - I hope someone else comes along who knows plants better than I do! Lovely that you want to get into gardening though. 😊

look up hardy geraniums on a plant shop site - note, these are NOT the red flowered things people used to call geraniums (lots of people still do but they are now designated pelargoniums, and they are annuals whereas hardy geraniums are perennials). No!! Pelargoniums are perennials! They are not vey hardy in the UK so may die in the winter, but given a bit of winter protection will carry on year after year. My porch is currently full of Pelargoniums in flower.

I wouldn't recommend Alchemilla mollis, it can be very invasive. I certainly wouldn’t recommend it anywhere near the countryside as it’s already becoming a problem. You could try Alchemilla alpina which is one of our many native Alchemilla species. Another low growing option might be Dryas - Dryas octapetala is our native species. White rose-like flowers followed by big fluffy seed heads

I have a similar area and have planted Thyme in clumps which has more or less all joined together and is virtually no maintenance.

Wow, thank you so much for your detailed responses! I'm going to have a read about each recommendation and see which is best for us.
My granny had a beautiful garden with lots of different plants and flowers, she won a few awards actually. I wish she was still here to keep me right! So I think it will be possible to grow something pretty here. Planning to start small and easy but I would love for it to look a bit brighter for summer.

These are close ups of what's there. They don't look great.

It's winter - plants are dormant in winter - on the contrary I think they all look like very healthy plants and in a few weeks they're all going to surprise you and start growing their new spring growth, buds and leaves etc. They have probably all been chosen quite carefully for the conditions. 🙂

in a few weeks they're all going to surprise you and start growing their new spring growth, buds and leaves etc.
The First Rule of Tending a New Garden: bide your time, wait and see.

hoping I can make [it] look a lot better by spring/ summer
You can achieve things in 2024 by 'cheating' with annuals and bought-in pots. Meanwhile, have a good look at local gardens (your neighbours or show gardens) to see what thrives. Then plan for 2025.
Height is important in garden design. I think that it is going to be especially so with your long, low building so you need to consider that.
Regarding shrubs for your pine-needle (i.e. tending towards acidity) fence, you could think about ericaceous plants. Your photo shows shade, which is another condition that they like.

Your photo shows shade, which is another condition that they like. Heathers (the original “ericaceous plant”) aren’t fond of shade - they’re used to growing on hills with no trees.