Householders in northern regions are used to a drop of rain and it certainly helps the garden to grow! However, changing weather patterns in recent years may have caused even seasoned northern soils to become quickly saturated, particularly during the winter months. Here’s a look at how to prevent the garden from degenerating into a soggy mess this winter.
Why invest in proper drainage systems?
If you live in an area with clay soils such as Lancashire, investing in proper groundworks and drainage systems is important to keep the garden in good shape. Clay soil tends to retain moisture, which can lead to flooding lawns and water pooling in flowerbeds and on hardscaping such as paths and patios.
This not only turns your garden into an unsightly spongy quagmire, but it can lead to water seeping into the foundations of buildings and causing damage. It can also saturate the soil structure and cause the roots of plants to rot, leading to yellowing leaves and failure to thrive. Lawns may become choked with moss and algae build up.
Types of garden drainage to consider
Installing drainage systems can involve a lot of work and it may be worth seeking professional assistance if your garden is particularly prone to waterlogging. If it’s more of an occasional issue during spells of very wet weather, then you could try simple methods such as digging ditches at the foot of sloping gardens to contain rainfall runoff.
If you do not wish to have open ditches, you could build French ditches. These are trenches about three feet deep that are filled with coarse gravel and topped with turf or permeable membranes. More serious waterlogging problems may require piped drainage solutions.