Nick, not sure what you're referring to as a "tall foundation." Looks like a fairly average grade surrounding a house. I'm not from your part of the country (you should say where that is BTW.) I can't speculate how the driveway gravel is conducive to growing anything well. Why is that placed around the house instead of topsoil?

Whatever material you end up with, it would look better if its grade is level, corresponding with the house faces. It can blend to the existing grade from there.

I do not see any need to add soil. Though, truthfully, I do not understand your question at all.

Ditto not understanding.

I like the way your house has the plant-free perimeter around it. Consider starting your landscape where you currently have greenery.

Do you have a walkway leading to your front door? That's also something to consider. Otherwise, since you seem to have the space, don't cram a bunch of plants up near the walls of your home. The style of your house doesn't warrant that kind of design, and it seems like the grading is fine.

Edit - i looked at your pics again. It seems like your home is built on a slab foundation, which is the opposite of a tall foundation. Plus you have some kind of tank, and maybe you live in a dry climate, and maybe more rural? I think it's better to have the barrier space around your home.

Ok, let me try to explain more clearly. Yes, it's a slab foundation and all that rock around the perimeter is, actually, leftover base material from the construction of the slab. So, at one end of the house, my slab is about 6" above the natural dirt ground; but one the opposite side of the house, the slab is more than 3' above the dirt. So, basically, the house is sitting up on a mound of base material. When you walk out our front or back door, and hit the end of the porch(es) you step off onto that base material and it slopes rather dramatically downward, to the natural dirt/grade. That's why I call it a raised foundation. I thought the pictures show that the foundation (and the house on top of it) are perched up pretty high of the natural ground

One option would be to truck in a bunch of dirt and pile it on top of the rock base material and smooth it out to blend into the natural grade of the land. That will take a BUNCH of dirt, though. I'm trying to figure out an economical way to landscape the perimeter of the house, with the least effort possible. I need to leave that base material where it is, though, to keep water running off and away from the foundation - per the foundation builder's suggestion.

Yes, we are VERY rural in S. Texas. The tank in the picture is a liquid propane tank.

Hope this helps people understand. I could sure use some suggestions.

I thought that was what you meant. I would not add dirt in front. There must be some way to make a safe path to and from where people arrive on your property. Suppose I drive down your lane and arrive at your house. Where would that leave me? If we could see the arrival area I think you would get better help. You could make a retaining wall in back if you choose. I would not bother. If there are areas you deem unsafe just put a few big rocks so people will understand that is not a path area. Love your house. I keep expecting to see Clint Eastwood.

I think most people will think of "foundation" as the masonry portion of the building structure that resides mostly underground. We usually see its upper portion directly below the siding. It's what "foundation planting" is usually trying to hide.

Given that you are speaking about the mound of earth on which the house is built, the answer to your question depends on what you expect the end product to look like. Is it going to be rocky and desert-like ... pretty much devoid of plants? Or do you expect it to be more lush and green with trees, shrubs, groundcovers, perennials, lawn, etc.? If a combination, how arranged?

Emmarene's idea about just emphasizing the walkways, and making sure they are clear and safe, is a great place to start your planning. Do you expect to be walking around those other areas often?

Once you figure out the paths, then you can start thinking about whether or not you need to bring in additional dirt for the other areas. I like her suggestion to incorporate a retaining wall in the back if the grade is too steep. You may decide you don't need dirt around the whole of the home, or maybe you can place it strategically where you want to grow some stabilizing shrubs to help prevent erosion.

JSL - I'll try to do that. Unfortunately, I'm having to do this on my own and on a shoestring budget since we pretty well sunk every penny into the house. We'll figure it out, somehow. Fortunately we live in a very small, tight and very rural community - we have loads of friends with all sorts of heavy machinery (i.e. bobcats, tractors, backhoes, etc.) and there's no end of reclaimable materials I can scavenge up on the ranch I manage or in our general area, from all sorts of locations. I think I may build a 5' pea gravel bed around the perimeter of the house, using railroad ties (I know where several stacks of discarded ties are laying) to hold the gravel back, like a retaining wall. Then, I won't have to use as much dirt to feather out the natural grade. I'll probably build some steps using gravel and timbers, leading to a gravel walkway - until I can afford to pour some concrete steps. I'm going to put some of that road base material that we used to build the pad for the foundation of our house (I have a bunch left) UNDER those steps I build, so that I can use it as the pad for those future concrete steps and walkway. That way, when I have some extra money, I'll have part of the work done and all we'll have to do is build the forms around the gravel steps, lay some steel and pour the concrete.

Thanks for your help!

Many people use the term "pea gravel" loosely. If you intend to walk on the area, don't use pea gravel. Use something more like what you have there now. However, it would be good for the top couple of inches to be a finer grade without material larger than 3/8" or 1/2".

hmm; I'm a bit worried that the base material will wash away during rainstorms. Sometimes observing the water and the way the land reacts through all four seasons is important, and may give you some clues as to what needs to be done.