the yard - before we owned it

So here are two pictures of the house, prior to us buying it (these were the real estate photos that were used when the house was on the market).

So, the front....I want to rip out that ugly shrubbery right in front of the door.  Yuk on every level.  I have already re-shaped the holly bush/tree by the garage door, and now it looks like a tube with a flat top!  I would like to plant some annuals and perrenials, with lots of color.  So some daffodils, tulips in all sorts of colors, some lillies, and then some flowers that are full of color, but won't die as quickly or seasonally as the others.  I would like the front of the house to be very colorful and fun, but not all crazy looking.

The back.  Now, in theory this doesn't look too bad.  But I'm also not sure when it was taken, because there is now a butterfly bush right near that spikey looking thing, that is now WAY out of control (and getting cut back this weekend, insha Allah).  This is where I'd like some of the "natural screens" to go.  Stagger them along this side, and then at the back, so it is almost like a gate/doorway you must walk through to get into the yard.  I want to plant various colors of the clementis, so it will just be pretty and green and private!

Here's to happy planting!

*update*

Here is the right half of the backyard as of this summer (2011):

Before:

After: