how do I improve drainage??

[Islaskye]

My garden is on a slope down towards my house and I have leveled it off into 3 stages - a patio at the house, a dog lawn and veg patch in the middle and the chicken paddock/fruit trees at the top.
I have just moved all the trees ( as they were in pots) to the boarders and want to put some grass down to make a lawn ( as we dont have as many chickens now so have reduced the run)

The top end is a mud slick, literally!!! I have dug down and there is stone/rubble about 20cm down and the holes just fill up with water. we knew about the rubble which is why we have small trees in pots but the drainage is soooo much worse then I thought.

some one suggested adding sand but I think its way beyond that and will add to the slide.

what about a perferated pipe channeled into the ground filled in with gravel. Ive seen it done years ago but dont know if that was why it was being done or how exactly to do it.

does anyone have any ideas????

[Thomzo]

My suggestion would be to make the most of the moisture. Don't try to fight it, work with it. There are loads of plants that cope with having wet feet for much of the time. The roots will soon settle in amongst the rubble and will help to both draw up the water and stabilise the soil. Willow springs to mind, but it can get quite big. Try a weeping willow that you can train and prune.

You could also excavate an area as a pond or bog garden. The water running off the soil will simply fill it up. Ponds and bog gardens are fantastic for wildlife and will encourage frogs, toads and birds that will help with keeping the slugs and other pests at bay.

Finally plant up your small trees in raised beds or on top of little hills. The roots will go down into the soil and help with drainage and stabilising it but they won't get waterlogged as there will be enough roots above the waterline.

Good luck

Zoe

[grahamhobbs]

Islaskye, a perforated drain in a gravel filled trench, as you describe, running off to a drainage ditch is the basic way of draining land. The drain needs to be below the water table.