We are moved in so the above photo is old. Yes, we have landscaping. We know we need something between the concrete block and the Hardie board siding as currently there is a 3/4 inch gap there for every bug, lizard, snake, bee, and wasp to make a home there, all the way around the house. We are in Florida near the east coast so we don't want anything to rust. Yes, we called James Hardie (the company) but didn't find them overly helpful, perhaps we spoke with the wrong person. I put up screenshots of a man pushing cardboard up between the space between the concrete block wall and the hardie board siding. It is a completely empty space between the concrete block and the hardie siding, all the way around the house, minus the areas for the entry doors and garage doors. Any ideas for keeping the pests and critters out while still letting the hardie board breathe?