Hi,
My property has a gradual slope to it and a lot of lawn, most of which is fine. However there is a flat area of the property at the lowest point, of perhaps 400 square feet, which is nearly always soft and wet (we border woods which gradually morph into wetlands, so this is not completely surprising). We live in the northeast, so the only very dry season is the tail-end of the summer. The area does not have standing water, but the ground beneath the grass is very, very soft and mud-like. It so happens that this wet area would be a nice place to sit, read, view the house, etc. but it is difficult to really use because it is so wet. Plus, mowing is quite difficult given the very soft ground.
Basically I'm gathering information on what alternate uses of this area might be, so that we could eventually spend some more time out there. For example, I considered building a freestanding deck over the area. That is one possibility. Perhaps a rock garden would be another possibility? Some other style of garden? I don't know much about gardens or landscaping, so if anyone has ideas for how we could convert this space -- especially do-it-yourself and on a budget (i.e. not an in-ground pool), I would be most appreciative.
thanks, Aaron