There was a young guy down the street who bought a really gorgeous house, and built raised beds to really dress the place up-- BUT-- he put them right about even with the foundation of the house! If planting up near the house, make sure you are at least a foot under the top of your foundation. People who once lived in my house filled in the yard to help with flooding issues, and it has totally destroyed my footers.. and short of rebuilding a new house, there is no way to repair the damage.
