We are often approached by homeowners who are facing inherited challenges with their landscape. Builders, neighbors, neighborhoods or nature do not always make good decisions about greenspace. Such was the case for our client. Due to settling and poor development planning, her street in the neighborhood had large drainage issues. Her yard was constantly being flooded. To add to the problem, there is an errant concrete wall buried under her panel fence that trapped water in her backyard. We were asked to help mitigate these problems so our client could have a usable landscape.

Solving Drainage Issues in the Front Yard

A berm had been installed in our client’s front yard to help with the constant flooding, but it was not doing a good job. We reshaped it, creating a stronger blockade to keep the water in a swale between her home and her neighbor’s. The berm was planted with viburnum, catmint and daylilies, and then mulched. We also reseeded in front of the berm to create a lawn space.

The end of her driveway also flooded so nothing would grow in that area. We regraded the area, laid landscape fabric and covered it with gravel, which collected the water and redirected it quickly to the nearby beehive drain. This space also serves as an extra parking area when needed!

Solving Drainage Issues in the Back Yard

Our client has a screened fence around the entire back, but someone had installed a foot of concrete underneath that trapped water in the backyard. The entire space became unenjoyable for her and more importantly for her dog. To fix this, a second contractor brought an excavator in to dig a 12 ft pit that was filled with gravel. We then pitched the rest of the yard to the french drain to collect the pooling water and deposit it into the pit. Our client prefers organic lawn care, so we planted organic grass and clover. Clover fixes nitrogen in the soil, which reduces the need for chemicals. Organic fertilizers were also used to create a safe and environmentally friendly space for her and her dog.

The other side of the backyard needed help as well. A large tree had been removed, changing the area from full shade to full sun. The tree had also created odd pitches in the space from its roots and leftover stump. We moved dirt to divert all water to the back corner of the property, where yet another block of concrete had been laid – perhaps a foundation for a shed. We covered the concrete with gravel to create another water management solution. The space also serves as a great play place for her dog, who ran along the fence with the neighbor’s dog and ruined anything that tried to grow there. The rest of the area was seeded with grass and clover, and we redefined a planting bed.

Landscape design is much more than pretty flowers and planting beds. We can help solve drainage issues as well. We turned an unusable yard into something our client enjoys every day. If you are having problems with water collecting in your yard, reach out to us. Send us an email or give us a call at (317) 997-4803.