I always encourage new gardeners to just start planting. It doesn't take long to create a transformation. We're not brilliant gardeners -- admittedly, we do know about the ecology of native plants, so our design ideas come from inspiration from nature.
Plant trees first, then shrubs, and then perennials, creating a landscape to enjoy. We no longer see our neighbor's house at all (the angle is slightly different, but the idea is there).
From this, to this.
This was 15 years of growth, but by 8 years, we didn't see our front street.