Even though we only get 10-12 inches of rain a year we still found we needed to put gutters above the doors because occasional ice on the steps and driveway was a hazard. We do not have anything under the eve elsewhere. ✔ ✔

We lived in house without gutters on most of it where there is lots of rain. There was a visible line around the house. Also when it rained, there wasn't a clear view out the windows because of all the water coming off the roof. We added gutters.

We plan on gutters to cover the 2 front entry valleys.

Basic ideas about organizing/arranging.

Yardvaark, lovely design and visually helpful to take me beyond stale foundation planting ideas, thank you!

And not much in the way of shrub trimming!

Not much winter interest either.

It never ceases to amaze me the amount of non-specific advice that shows up before anybody knows where in the world the OP is located.

Wouldn't winter interest have to do with the plants one chooses? I don't know why it would amaze anyone that general advice could be given regardless of one's climate. In the vast majority of the world, one has many categories of plants to choose from: trees & shrubs large and small, perennials, annuals, vines, groundcovers. All these things grow in most places. If some categories don't, there are usually adaptations that can be made. General advice helps one get to specific advice after they incorporate the conditions that applies to them. None of this seems in the least remarkable.

Landscape design advice does tend to be nonspecific :-) It doesn't really matter where you are located.....the LD principles remain the same. Plant selection is another matter and yes, location will have a major impact on your choices. But there are always multiple plant choices for any given location and site......once all the other aspects of layout, scale, balance and placement are worked out. That's 95% of the advice offered here....not individual plant selection.

So come up with the specific plants for that design for a western zone 4.

See in my world, there are categories of plants that really don't exist. So a design that incorporates one of those categories is going to be unbuildable. The biggest issue is that shade tolerant evergreens that don't have major pest problems or require special soil are extremely hard to come by

The gutter itself is relatively inexpensive -- it's the hangers and downspouts that significantly increase the cost.

Since you have not yet done your landscaping, consider feeding your downspouts into pipes that can be buried to carry the water away from your home -- that should resolve potential water issues from water running off the roof.

For specific plant suggestion that will work in a specific locale it is best to post your request in that regional forum. That way you are assured of suggestions that will work appropriately for that location. Or visit a local nursery or garden center or botanical garden that carries or grows a lot of locationally suitable plants

I'm not sure why you think a forum that draws both professionals and hobby gardeners from anywhere on the planet will necessarily have plant suggestions that are going to be site appropriate for that specific location. Even locally, I have a different plant palettes for different locations, often within just a few miles of each other!

Mad Gallica, it is not as though one can come to the forum and expect a complete, finished landscape plan. That's something you'd pay for. But here, if you want to do it yourself, or get help with the preliminary thinking, there are people willing to help you. Still, that doesn't justify expectations beyond what a design forum is capable of. If there are categories of plants that don't exist in your world, then it would be up to you to figure out how you're going to ADAPT in spite of the shortage. If someone suggests a shrub maintainable at 2' height but it doesn't exist, then maybe you'll need to use a perennial that will work. Or vice versa. It's not as though because some things (information) is free and available, that all things (information) will or should be free and available. Someone doing DIY might need to learn & research even if they get clues about what direction to take. While there are usually many choices of plants to fill the bill, I think we've all been in the position where sometimes there is barely a single plant that will work. If there is none, then we must calculate other possibilities. But we can't throw are hands up in the air and say all is lost, just because someone did not hand us detailed drawings and specs on a silver platter. For myself, my advice is usually limited to general organization and arranging space by using plant shapes & sizes. The colors in my drawing mean nothing other than a way to distinguish one element from another. If I use red, it doesn't mean the OP can't use yellow. The rest is general and I never expect it to be taken literally. Throughout the process of implementing a landscape, one should be perfecting their thoughts all the way to the end. If there is an "error" in the plan, or in the suggestions, fix it wherever there is an opportunity. If a person doesn't want general advice. a forum might not be the right place to seek advice.

I left out the facts that I need deer resistant plants, or that I have my favorite hostas and perennials dug and potted and will need to fit them into my new landscape, or that we're snowbirds and leave Minnesota for Fla in the winter therefore winter interest is not a top priority. My main question was do I still need to divert rain runoff in a slab home. I appreciate and thank you to all who took the time to answer You'll likely see me again as I research plant options.

I was recently told that grated Irish Spring helps repel deer away from hostas. Perhaps someone could let us both know if there is any truth to that.

The deer don't bother my aucuba (Zone 7) and they are attractive year round.

some ideas:

That is gorgeous! And the patio defining wall something I would never have thought of, thank you! Doug, what kind of rock do you visualize for this?

drip lines?

I'm showing Black River stone by Eldorado ( a stone veneer over block).

Very nice!

@Beachygirl would you be willing to share some pictures of your house? I'm thinking about going with scottish thistle for my house. If you are willing to also post a close up of the siding that would be awesome.

I've tried 2x with no success, I may try to link it...