Sodden lawn

[Royboy1982]

I know this is a touchy subject and I don’t really like the stuff my self !
Im contemplating digging up by sodden lawn and laying fake grass.
the lawn is a bog in winter and the dog brings mud into the house and my 2 year old can’t really play in the back garden during winter.
Last summer I drilled deep holes and filled with sharp sand to try and help with drainage but it’s not worked. When I laid the turf I dug a soak away but that’s not done much either.
So I’m thinking dig up lawn, lay some mot then sand on top then roll out some fake grass, I’m hoping if I lay enough base layer that will be good for drainage ? My issue is if there’s already a paved boarder how to you hold the grass down ? There’s a cement fillet all the way round the inside of the pavers so I can’t knock pins in to hold the grass ?? Has anyone got any ideas ?

 

[Mottie]

You can’t really play on grass in winter without chewing it up and owning a dog with occasional 'tummy trouble' that requires the use of the hose every time she goes out, I’m glad I’m not washing it into fake grass!

Can you dig it up and prepare as you would for fake grass but then lay some free draining soil with grass on that?

 

[Royboy1982]

i was thinking maybe doing that and is still a option but it’s a lot of work if it doesn’t work,
This is the wirst garden I’ve seen, it actually puddles when it’s rains

 

[StephenStephen]

I'm no expert. It looks like a drainage problem rather than a grass problem.
I think I'd:
-Think a bit more about where I'd want the water to go and how to get it there
-Lay a line of bricks over the paved boarder, raise the grass soil level and then turf or sow grass.
-Maybe consider a small pond with a grid over it within the lawned area.

 

[Murdochcat]

Our garden is mainly on clay so it drains really slowly. Couple that with the high rainfall over the last year or so and it’s worse than ever because the water table is so high

How do your neighbours compare?

 

[Royboy1982]

The neighbour to one side had the same problem years ago so they layed fake grass but the grassed area is a lot smaller with the rest flagged, the other side is a lot higher than mine and a lovely garden !

 

[Why Not Indeed]

I am going to guess from the green haze that appears at both ends of your garden that your problem is everywhere and not just in the lawn. As such, it doesn't matter whether you use fake or real grass, it's sorting the drainage that's going to solve the problem.

 

[JohnD]

the rest flagged

Preventing rainwater from soaking into the ground, causing it to run off onto a lower neighbour...

If you have a ditch, or a lowered, well-dug flowerbed, round your lawn, you can encourage rain to run off the edges and sink into the ground.

I can't see downpipes on your sheds, where does the rain go?

 

[Royboy1982]

Preventing rainwater from soaking into the ground, causing it to run off onto a lower neighbour...

If you have a ditch, or a lowered, well-dug flowerbed, round your lawn, you can encourage rain to run off the edges and sink into the ground.

I can't see downpipes on your sheds, where does the rain go?

Well spotted ! The garage used to have a barrel that cought the water, the shed is new and that’s another job for this summer, fit some gutters