Stormwater Management Solutions
The rainy days of spring are almost upon us, and while the water is excellent for plants and flowers, it can wreak havoc on a yard with poor drainage. Yards that don't have proper stormwater management are subject to erosion, which can affect your landscape and even damage your home's foundation. If your yard has spots of standing water or marshy areas, or if you notice leaks into your basement or crawlspace, you may need to add additional drainage. Luckily, there are many stormwater management solutions from which to choose.
Regrading
The grade of the yard refers to its slope. A yard that is not graded correctly will often develop puddles of water after it rains. Regrading is a process that adds or removes soil to eliminate low spots to achieve proper drainage. Ideally, the slope should be at a slight incline away from your house. In addition to regrading, drains can be added to the landscape to direct water to stormwater sewers. Dreamscape Designers can redesign your landscape to redirect this water as part of our landscaping or hardscaping redesigns. During our redesign process, we can also include grading, adding soil, or French drains to alleviate stormwater issues.
Dry River Rock Beds
Another option to manage stormwater runoff is to add a dry river rock bed to your landscape. River rocks allow a natural pathway for water to run off while adding curb appeal to your property. Dry river rock beds can follow a customized path in your yard and can be built with rocks in a variety of colors and sizes.
Water-Hungry Plants
Adding more plants to your landscape can also help improve drainage in your yard. Simply put, the more plants you have, the more water your roots absorb after it rains. Certain plants are more water-hungry than others. Freshwater plants that help prevent erosion include ferns, phlox, lamb's ear, hostas, and liriope. Plants that thrive in saltwater environments include switchgrass, yucca, Eastern prickly-pear, and cordgrass.
Permeable Pavers
Hardscapes such as patios, driveways, and fire pits can also cause drainage problems in your yard. Choosing a porous option like permeable pavers allows rainwater to flow directly into the ground rather than directing it to one area of your yard. Permeable pavers are durable and sustainable and are typically less costly than other stormwater management solutions.
Don't let rain ruin your yard this spring! Contact Dreamscape Designers today to discuss ways to improve the drainage in your backyard so you can enjoy it all season long. Call us at (757) 412-1265.
