Flooding around low-lying patches and erosion on sloppy landscapes are troublesome issues in most yards and gardens. They destroy plants and grass as well as ruin the visual appeal of the affected areas. But with some effort and know-how, you can solve these common drainage problems and keep your yard and garden looking great irrespective of the season.
Here are three interventions you can make on your landscape and forget drainage woes.
1. Build a Dry Creek Bed
One of the most common ways of solving drainage problems on a sloppy yard or garden is by building a dry creek bed.
This is a shallow trench dug along the landscape and filled with colourful rocks.
As stated above, the purpose of a dry creek bed is to redirect runoff water on a sloppy landscape. Thus, the creek bed should have a meandering design to reduce the force of runoff water down the slope, thereby preventing erosion. Likewise, filling the bed with colourful tiny rocks, and lining the edges with bigger rocks and plants, will help enhance the visual appeal of the landscape, as well as give it a natural appearance.
2. Plant a Rain Garden
Another common solution to yard and garden drainage problems is planting a rain garden. This is most ideal where the landscape has low-lying areas that collect and hold water, yet it’s not sloppy enough to allow the building of a dry creek bed.
So what is a rain garden?
A rain garden is a low-lying patch in the yard or garden that is enhanced by filling it with water-loving plants. The water still gathers on those patches and takes time to percolate depending on the soil’s porosity, but now you don’t have to contend with muddy patches or drowned plants and grass as the water-loving plants thrive in wet conditions.
Also, you can plant a rain garden at the end of a dry creek bed where the runoff water can flow into and soak into the ground.
The soil’s porosity should determine the depth of the rain garden; however, if the soil is impervious, you can replace it with a porous type.
3. Install a Drainage Catch Basin
Installing a drainage catch basin can also help solve common drainage problems in your yard and garden.
A catch basin is an underground pit that helps collect and channel away runoff water to prevent flooding. The pit is covered with a grate to keep off leaves and debris from passing through as well as for safety purposes. Then the bottom is filled with gravel, which allows water to seep through and percolate into the ground.
In cases where there are major runoffs, you can connect the catch basin to the main drainage system. But you should keep the basin clean always to avoid clogging the system.
In short, flooding and erosion are troublesome drainage problems that are common in many yards and gardens. However, with the three interventions discussed above, you can easily resolve the challenges. Whether you decide to build a dry creek bed, plant a rain garden, install a drainage catch basin or combine the three, their effect on your landscape will be worth your efforts.
We hope these tips will help sort your pesky landscape issues and restore beauty to your yard and garden. If you need help maintaining your lawn and garden, enlist us to deploy one of our 10-star lawn treatments, lawn cutting packages or gardening service! We offer contract-free, top notch lawn & garden services to make sure your outdoor space is as beautiful and effortless as possible. Just sit back and enjoy! Lawn Troopers has your six in the spring and all year round.