The first step to recovery is recognizing that you have a problem. We sure do, its our drainage! We sit below the road in our cul-de-sac and while drainage is generally good for our house, our driveway pools water near the garage. It’s mostly just an annoyance. When its rained heavily you have to step through a mud puddle to get into the car, usually it doesn’t require scuba gear. I have a plan though: A modified French drain.
Along the edge of the driveway I plan to dig a trench, as long as the puddle is wide and deep enough that a perforated drain tube can be placed in it. The drain will then attach to another tube that leads out into the yard through another trench. At the end of the second trench will be a water receiving area partially filled with gravel. Once all the tubes are in place I’ll put a layer of gravel over top. Near the driveway I’ll fill the top section with a freely draining decorative gravel or rock that levels out just below the driveway edge. The tube that takes the water into the yard will be covered with a layer of gravel then with dirt. The water receiving area will be re-covered with dirt then planted with a rain garden, using grasses and perennials that will help filter out the water from the driveway.
This should eliminate our “water feature” and allow us to step into our car without investing in scuba equipment!
Hi Dave! I have seen your name around on a few comments so am checking out a new garden blogger.
The rain garden idea sounds good. We dug a rain garden last fall and let it sit over the winter before planting much. This year a lot of small plants were added so next year should show some progress.
I look forward to seeing how yours does.
Thank you for stopping by Gloria! I do hope to get started on it soon once things settle down a bit. I probably won’t plant much until spring, although I have some ornamental grass that could use a permanent home. I have a ‘Carl Foerster’ Feather Reed Grass and some Miscanthis ‘zebrinus’ that are sitting in pots right now.