Years ago, after we had the foundation dug up for much-needed waterproofing, we planted some shrubs along that north-west wall. There was a point where I was trying to keep them pruned just a bit, so I could enjoy the view from the windows - but I ended up realizing that the heat reduction from allowing the shrubs to grow to their full height and shade the wall was more important. BOY does it ever make the house cooler to have those there (and, of course, the bog oak tree to the right). I definitely should have planted them one big steppy farther away; a couple of them are ridiculously close to the wall.
My semi-overgrown porch, with one multicolored solar lantern hung in the flower bed. There is a string of plain solar lights along the stair railing, too, that hadn't come on yet when I took this. Jeeeeez I love solar lights. Pretty happy with my black-eyed susan jungle, too.
Oof, yeah. It's been a while. Plant shrubs like it's 1999?