Interesting posts- they have helped me recognise there's not much I can do with my clay-pan of a back lawn! It's completely flat, 13m x 10m, with the classic patio along one long edge and 3 garden beds around the other 3 sides, and you can literally make little clay pots from the lumps of clay in the soil! I compost, horse manure, soil condition it every year so it's improving, gradually (clay soils are allegedly more fertile), but the lawn is an undulating mass of moss- previous owners have cut beds and infilled them hence the Telly-Tubby bumps! I have considered, in re-landscaping the back garden, reducing the size of the lawn, then levelling the lawn area, gravelling it etc before relaying it but I wonder if I'm wasting time and money as the fact is, the effectively trapped water has nowhere to drain to, either down or laterally.
Garden not draining properly - very boggy - how to fix?
- Thread starter uptown47
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I ended up digging a long trench that fed into a herring bone trench. Then filling it with gravel. Then putting weed control fabric over the top of it to stop the soil mixing in with the gravel. Then some soil and the turf back on top... just waiting for rain now to test it but, as I currently live in Fife, I don't think I'll have to wait long!
Thanks for all the help everyone
Thanks for all the help everyone
Sounds like you've done a pretty professional job. Good luck!
Miljee--I'm adopting a similar strategy to your current approach, insofar as where practicable I'm gradually replacing the top layer of clay with compost, soil conditioner, manure etc etc so that water does permeate at least a little way into the ground before it finds itself with nowhere further to go. Our problem is that we have a largely undulating garden with steep slopes which quickly deposit their rainwater load into the flat areas, leading to standing pools which can be several inches deep after heavy rain.
I've no plans to relay the lawn in the problem areas because its just too big a job, but if I feel devilishly energetic one day I might just put in a drainage trench, point it down the hill and see how quickly I can saturate my neighbours' gardens.
Miljee--I'm adopting a similar strategy to your current approach, insofar as where practicable I'm gradually replacing the top layer of clay with compost, soil conditioner, manure etc etc so that water does permeate at least a little way into the ground before it finds itself with nowhere further to go. Our problem is that we have a largely undulating garden with steep slopes which quickly deposit their rainwater load into the flat areas, leading to standing pools which can be several inches deep after heavy rain.
I've no plans to relay the lawn in the problem areas because its just too big a job, but if I feel devilishly energetic one day I might just put in a drainage trench, point it down the hill and see how quickly I can saturate my neighbours' gardens.
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On a clay soil a herringbone system can work a little but a blanket drain is more effective.
A blanket drain is essential a solid layer of 20mm clean stone seperated from the subsoil by a geotextile membrane and then another membrane over the top then 6'' of topsoil.
This blanket or clean stone perhaps 4'' thick provides fast passage for water which can then drain to a sump or lower area.
It requires a lot of digging and removal of material so only worthwhile on a small garden or one being regraded etc or with very good access.
This is often how golf tees are laid.
A blanket drain is essential a solid layer of 20mm clean stone seperated from the subsoil by a geotextile membrane and then another membrane over the top then 6'' of topsoil.
This blanket or clean stone perhaps 4'' thick provides fast passage for water which can then drain to a sump or lower area.
It requires a lot of digging and removal of material so only worthwhile on a small garden or one being regraded etc or with very good access.
This is often how golf tees are laid.
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