After a long weekend of rain, to our chagrin, we found that we are going to have erosion issues around the base of our homes foundation... the house is elevated just a bit on one end in comparison to the rest of the yard in order for it to be level. I need to figure out a fast growing plant that would help reduce erosion and still look nice. We are planting Bermuda grass in the yard, but I dont think it will help much with the erosion problem and might create bigger problems trying to mow that area... hence the query about plants... and year round visual appeal is always a plus.
Thanks for all input,
Katherine
Oh yeah, we are in zone 8.

I think the lawn grass should stop the erosion, but you may need to divert the water away while it is getting established, or lay turf for an instant fix. If you plant a garden, the soil will still erode unless the plant root system is so dense it holds the soil together. This will take some time to achieve.