[pushkins]

If you could slope the grade in any way to get the water away from the house you will go a long way to solving your problem. You could slope the grade from the back of the house to the front of the house and then away from the home, the only problem with this is that as the water travels from the rear to front it still has time to soak into the ground around the home as it travels the 30 or so feet.

Plastic laid on the ground and then covered in rock would also help the probelm but it would need to be at least three feet wide the entire length of the house. This wouldn't look very pretty.

Gravel does not count as grade in relation to drainage, water will simply pass through the gravel and sit on the soil below and as that slopes towards the house, then that's where the water will go.

You have to be careful with landscaping against the house as this too can create a problem especially in your situation as you cannot build the garden any higher than basically the existing ground, any drainage like a french drain built under the garden will dry out the garden and you will never be able to provide enough water to the plants.

I still say dig a trench midway between the house and the peak on the ground (you mentioned it was about 3 feet from the house at it's highest point) toss in 2" of drainage gravel lay in the corrugated pipe with a sock on it backfill with another 2" of gravel over the pipe and then soil and grass or a garden with plants that like it dryer. (NOTE: plant roots WILL invade the corrugated pipe over time)



A patio on the driveway side built up to slope towards the driveway would solve the problem on the driveway side of the house (not gravel or loose stone) You would be best to build the patio from pavers or concrete this would force and allow the water to flow across the surface onto the driveway and out to the street, if you use any permiable product the water will simply pass through (like stine) and you will still have the same problem.

If the ground level on the other side of the pathway/sidewalk (in your picture) is lower than the ground level between the house and driveway you could always dig under the pathway/sidewalk install a 2" or 3" pipe under the walk and let the water out of the house side through this pipe.