water-drainage

Your landscaping may look beautiful in those warm, summer months, but then the seasons change, the sky opens up – and it pours. Rain reveals every single water flow problem in your yard. Some of these issues are minor, while others threaten to cause property damage. What happened?

The answer is simple: poor drainage. This challenge can transform a beautiful, bright and otherwise attractive yard into a soggy mess. In some cases, this soggy mess may include property damage. But fortunately, there are steps you can take to resolve these challenges.

Here are five fixes to save your landscaping.

  1. Design plant beds strategically. When thinking about planting flowers or doing other landscaping projects, you may be thinking about color, placement and how they fit with the overall ascetics of the backyard. Plant placement is key. Strategic planting provides smooth, easier water flow in the area.
  2. Trap water with purpose. A backyard that is not graded properly results in areas that retain water. These areas are unattractive but also affect the surrounding landscaping and can even result in property damage. Work with a landscaper to grade problem areas for more efficient water flow.
  3. Resolve hardscaping issues. Hardscaping problems, such as driveways and decks that do not promote good water drainage, often go unnoticed. When these surfaces aren’t created with the right slope, water can’t efficiently move through a safe drainage path. Grading projects or even installing a purposefully placed retaining wall can help solve these problems.
  4. Consider strategic paving projects. Resolve problem areas with a paving project, which involves designing a slope to assist with drainage.
  5. Create ways to redirect water flow. Create a berm, which is a soil mount, or a swale, which is a hollow depression. A berm stops and redirects water flow, and a swale creates a defined path for the water to travel, one that doesn’t cause damage to your landscaping.

Do you have questions about drainage problems or grading projects? If so, we can help. Simply call 203-323-2325 or email us.