What horticultural zone is this house in? Closest city?

Add a pollinator garden with plants appropriate for your location

Nearest city Grand Rapids MI :)

I'd fill it with shade-tolerant natives. Tiarella, squirrel corn, columbine, phlox, Iris crestata etc. If you are planning to sell this summer, then just put in a bunch of annuals. Impatiens does well in shade.

Based on your pictures, I would get rid of the smaller tree and just mulch around the larger one.

Add a bird bath when you plant.

@ShadyWillowFarm has a great solution for you. The birch can stand alone as a tree in your lawn panel. Reduce the bed size and enjoy the distinctive difference.

Use a nice ground cover like vincal that stays green all the time and find another spot fot the sign or better yet advertise on facebook and no sign.

I would for sure add ground cover. You could even add colour through seasonal flowers to make it pop

Remove the brick retaining wall, use a low metal edge, mulch thoroughly without building up mulch around the trunk.

Justin, a beautiful mature birch tree is involved in your question. Please give yourself some 'time out' for serious study of your situation. First suggestion is to research 'the growth pattern of birch tree roots'.

This will help you understand what is going on under the soil surface within the brick retaining wall. It would be helpful to know when this barrier was installed if possible.

Busy day here. More thoughts on the subject later.

What is the variety of the second, smaller tree? I would have someone look at trimming your birch so that it assumes a more sculptural form. If the smaller tree is an ornamental, I would suggest it being shaped. If it is a less valuable tree,you might consider removing it or replacing it. You have so many options for annual AND perennial plantings. I suggest that you go to a local nursery, not necessarily a big box store, where you can get good planting advice, even a planting scheme for your garden. One that ties in with what you have planted closer to your house. Integrating both areas would be my objective if I were you.

Is this house a recent purchase or have you lived there a few seasons? The birch tree is nice but birches are not a long-lived species. What is the other tree? To me, it looks like it might be an ornamental, perhaps a spring flowering tree. And it's well-placed with regard to the birch, so don't be a hurry to cut down either one.

The landscape island's low retaining wall is in good shape. It looks like the mulch is correctly placed around the trunks -- that is, it's not piled high up on the truck (leading to rotted bark and early tree death). Perfect place for daffodils, followed by colorful annuals -- or low evergreen groundcover if that's your preference.

The birch is lovely but that sad second tree is desperately reaching AWAY from it for sun and water. Remove the second tree as the bed is not nearly big enough for both.

You don’t have to change the bed size afterwards. It’s nicely sized and shaped. Just plant a nice groundcover.

Look up berm ideas and there are so many options. Keeping shape/border - just add variation/height

Removing border allows to redesign shape and add boulders for a more natural feel. What you plant depends on interest in upkeep and the look you are after.

Take a picture and provide a nursery with soil type, sun exposure and the look you want, plus your budget and they will give you good options and advice.

How much do you like to fuss? What I would do my bff would have fits over because of the 'work' (gadening) it would entail. You have some lovely ideas--I will add the birch may not be long for this world. They tend not to be long lasting trees.

dig doug designs - what are the ground cover plants you incorporated into the berm design? thanks so much to everyone who has contributed!! so many wonderful ideas to ponder

Depending on where you live pachysandra is great. It fills in fast and is quite hearty. We have some here

Pachysandra is great if you want your whole lawn taken over by it. We had that and English ivy in our garden when we purchased our house, and over time it choked out the lawn and anything else we tried to plant next to it. We had it taken out when we re-landscaped and it was the best thing we did. Now we have pretty, colorful, well-behaved perennials. Maureen posted some really nice ideas for the berm.

And we’ve had zero issues with ours in the two contained areas they live in, just like the one posted above that has a border. Lovely and green all year round and zero problems. Low maintenance too

The just-one-plant groundcover idea makes me sad--very boring...but it IS the low-maintenance option. If I was going to go that way, maybe I'd incorporate a boulder or a shepherd's hook with a hanging basket or even a flag. Or an old metal outdoor chair with a pot of flowers on it. Something simple to add interest. But....I personally like the ideas that have a few different varieties of plants.