I'm planning a flower garden in my front yard next to the house. Should I leave space at the back of the garden so it does not touch the siding of the house?

Almost everyone one does it, but it can cause several problums.
It tends to hold moisture right next to the foundation which does several things. It gives termites exactly what they need to make mud tunnels so they can travel up into the foundation, if there's a basement or crawl space it holds water long enough to get in under the house.
How many homes have we all seen with landscape timber used as borders for there flower beds. Read the lable on one some time. It says right on it not for below ground use, once you back fill it it's under ground. Why do they say it's not for below ground use. Because it's only pressure treated on the very outside of it. So in a short time it rots and draws in wood eatting insects.
It also forms sort of a pond for holding in water right where you do not want it.
There's lots of other options.
Build the flower beds out away from the foundtaion, plant some shrub that are not right under windows and plant some flowers around the bases of the shubs in a circle so water will have a chance to not pool up.
Use a mulch with a termicide in it.
Use pressure treated 4X4's 4 X 6's or 6 X 6's for flower beds or raise gardens there rated for below ground use and will not tend to tip as much.
Land scape stones also look great and do not rot.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: joecaption,

Thanks for the reply. So a thick stepping stone or brick next to the foundation would suffice?

Only if there at a min. of about 8' from the foudation.

It is more enough to leave space at 9'.It provide the section for beautiful gardening in the short land as adapted method in China.

Bayside lounge

This message has been edited. Last edited by: AndreaArnold,