After dancing around in puddles for the last month I think it’s a good time to discuss drainage. Water can be a real enemy in the garden if it is allowed to gather, particularly on the lawn. So to keep our gardens looking and feeling healthy it is important to have good drainage.
Many of you may have heard or read over the last few weeks through the media about the debate on patio’s in our gardens. The recent floods have given rise to a lot of questions in relation to drainage and the point has been made several times that hard surfaces such as patio’s may increase the potential for flooding as they are covering an area that could otherwise drain excess water away.
This is of course a very valid point and one that we should consider when we are planning or upgrading our gardens. The emergence of the low maintenance gardens has certainly increased the hard surfaces we now have and this does have an impact on the environment. It affects not only drainage, but also soil live and wildlife. Were do our worms go? Where do the birds that ate the worms go? There is a knock on effect for taking away natural surfaces and plant life, and that can be a lot more than many people realise.
For those of you with a concrete garden, take up a few slabs and plant some low maintenance plants, this will introduce much needed plant life to your garden it will certainly enhance it not only to your eye but also the environment and thirdly it will help with drainage.
A simple way to improve drainage in your garden is to make a few drainage pits. You could or may have to put in French drains which is another days work but for immediate results drainage pits are easy to do and will be successful.
Firstly mark the areas in your garden that collected the most water. Then dig out an area about 60cm by 60cm and then down 60cm. At the base of the hole fill half of it with large stones and gravel, then lay about 10cm of sharp sand on top of that. The rest of the hole can be filled with soil. The grass you took of the top can then be placed back where was and it should grow back easily, just give it a little drop of water. You can repeat this around the garden.
A similar system can be used on a patio, if there is a particular area that floods remove the slab at the deepest part of the flood area and dig down about 60cm, fill the base as above except use gravel instead of soil. Instead of grouting around the slab removed leave it clear. It is recommended that you use the slab area to plant as opposed to replacing the slab.
All you need for the job is a couple of bags of gravel and sand, a good spade and lots of energy, the job is easily completed in a weekend and the difference is great.
Many of you may have heard or read over the last few weeks through the media about the debate on patio’s in our gardens. The recent floods have given rise to a lot of questions in relation to drainage and the point has been made several times that hard surfaces such as patio’s may increase the potential for flooding as they are covering an area that could otherwise drain excess water away.
This is of course a very valid point and one that we should consider when we are planning or upgrading our gardens. The emergence of the low maintenance gardens has certainly increased the hard surfaces we now have and this does have an impact on the environment. It affects not only drainage, but also soil live and wildlife. Were do our worms go? Where do the birds that ate the worms go? There is a knock on effect for taking away natural surfaces and plant life, and that can be a lot more than many people realise.
For those of you with a concrete garden, take up a few slabs and plant some low maintenance plants, this will introduce much needed plant life to your garden it will certainly enhance it not only to your eye but also the environment and thirdly it will help with drainage.
A simple way to improve drainage in your garden is to make a few drainage pits. You could or may have to put in French drains which is another days work but for immediate results drainage pits are easy to do and will be successful.
Firstly mark the areas in your garden that collected the most water. Then dig out an area about 60cm by 60cm and then down 60cm. At the base of the hole fill half of it with large stones and gravel, then lay about 10cm of sharp sand on top of that. The rest of the hole can be filled with soil. The grass you took of the top can then be placed back where was and it should grow back easily, just give it a little drop of water. You can repeat this around the garden.
A similar system can be used on a patio, if there is a particular area that floods remove the slab at the deepest part of the flood area and dig down about 60cm, fill the base as above except use gravel instead of soil. Instead of grouting around the slab removed leave it clear. It is recommended that you use the slab area to plant as opposed to replacing the slab.
All you need for the job is a couple of bags of gravel and sand, a good spade and lots of energy, the job is easily completed in a weekend and the difference is great.
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