Hello all! I am buying a house that has some drainage problems in the back yard. There are several spots where water pools, and constructing a drainage ditch just doesn't sound like much fun. Would putting in a rain garden help solve this problem? Any tips on good plants to use for this? (I am in Louisville, Kentucky). Any help would be greatly appreciated! This is my first time owning a home and I'm anxious to try my hand at gardening!
Thanks,
Amy
Rain gardens are a way to keep rain and stormwater from washing down the street to the drains there so that it can replenish the groundwater. What you might have is a bog garden.
Rain gardens are a way to keep rain and stormwater from washing down the street to the drains there so that it can replenish the groundwater. What you might have is a bog garden.
Or, you could dig a hole for the water to drain into and have a pond!
Correct drainage on your property is far more important than just gardening issues. It can affect the very "health" of your home. Water damage is the #1 destroyer of homes and will cause all kinds of rot and insect problems, and possible health problems as well. The contractor is responsible for correcting drainage issues if this is new construction. If this is an older home, you need it inspected by a structural engineer before I'd even think of moving in to it. Demand that the owner fix drainage before you purchase, or don't buy the house. Any realtor worth their fee would have already suggested that.
Well, we've had the property inspected.. no problems other than the drainage in the yard. The water doesn't flow toward the house or anything. It is an older home.. and the drainage problems aren't too severe, but enough to bother me (especially since we have a dog and don't want her coming in muddy all the time...).
you could plant cranberries there...
-kelly
When I first heard mention of 'rain gardens', I Googled and found a lot of interesting sites on the subject. If the water pools briefly and dissipates after a day or 2, a rain garden may be what you want. If it's permanently soggy, the bog suggestions seem more appropriate. :-)
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