@Bali
Surround it with a Japanese dry garden.
Flynt said:
Instead of letting the water spread everywhere, dig a pond and let it collect in one spot. The water naturally wants to sit on top of the soil, and you can either change that or take advantage of it.
I think this is the only choice since it doesn’t look like the person who posted this can easily drain the water. Their garden is all enclosed.
I have to plant my aquatic plants in pots each year and I’m considering this! I’d start with papyrus for that amazing ‘flooded Nile’ effect!
I’m curious, before you planted the grass, did you use any plastic barrier to stop weeds from rising through the new grass? If so, that could be blocking water from draining well.
If that’s the case, can you check if there’s some kind of plastic or tarp under the grass where it’s flooding? Just dig a little hole through the grass and see if you hit something.
@Ren
I don’t think I’ve ever seen it put under grass, thankfully. Lawn grass usually has about 2-3 inches of roots and typically wouldn’t absorb that much water without a lot of time.
Consider creating a natural bog or swamp with native plants like jack in the pulpit and moss to absorb the moisture. You’ll be golden once you do that.
I love managing water flow. I do it with my property that has drainage utilities passing through, while I mostly have dry conditions otherwise.
You’re working in a tight area and have limited ability to change how the water flows to your property.
Pay attention to how your yard behaves during storms. Is water coming into your space from their properties or is this just from rain accumulating?
One solution is to improve water infiltration in the soil, which you can do with better biology.
Another option is to place barriers to slow it down and absorb it. For instance, one extreme option could be to cover your lawn with 4 inches of wood chips and plant native grasses that have deeper roots.
Certain plants like daikon radishes and comfrey are known for breaking up soil, but check what’s native and not invasive for your area.
I don’t know much about England’s plants, but your grass isn’t native to me and doesn’t have deep roots, while my native grasses can go 25 feet deep in some cases.
Wood chips (organic material) also absorb water. Organic matter can hold up to 10 times its weight in water.
That flooded grass can’t get oxygen through the water. Using chips and logs could help move the water around and slow it down, while also protecting the soil and adding organic matter over time.
@Adair
This makes sense
I used to have a small river in my backyard, but I installed a few raised beds to catch that water, and now they absorb all the excess.
It seems like the issue arose because they blocked the yard’s natural pitch, realized the problem later, and sold the house. One of the main reasons people move is due to not considering how surface water flows.
Thank you to everyone who’s taken the time to respond and share ideas. I’ve gotten a lot of useful insights here.
I keep hearing suggestions for a French drain, and I will seek outside help for that.
To clarify some points raised:
Looking at my neighbor’s garden, it seems we face the worst flooding. They only have a small patch of water in their yard.
I assume the soil is clay because that’s what people say is common in Essex and East London. Unfortunately, I don’t know what’s under the lawn.
The back of my garden leads to a large park, called Rise Park, which is mostly flat.
They decided to create a lawn that’s lower than the rest and essentially made a little “swimming pool.” I admit I felt nervous about this when my excitement dwindled, and I realized I should have thought about it more.
The survey didn’t even mention this as a possible problem, but maybe it wouldn’t have come up at all.
Once again, thank you all for your helpful insights and kindness.
You could consider adding some zone 1, 2, and 3 pond plants.
But seriously, get that issue sorted out before all that standing water damages your foundation or pushes into your home.
As a temporary fix, you could install a sump pump by digging a hole, adding a mortar bucket with holes, and placing a submersible pump inside.
Long term, you’d want to put in proper drainage and find a good place for the water to flow.
I think you mean garden in the UK sense, meaning backyard. This forum primarily discusses growing plants, vegetables, and fruits. You might get more help in a landscaping forum. But it looks nice!
@Flynt
Or perhaps I’m just suggesting places where they can find different helpful information since the person who posted didn’t ask a specific question.
Do you have access to a drainage area near your property? Like a ditch or something to carry the water away? I’m facing a similar problem in a large area too, and I’m planning to install a sump pump with a float switch to move the water to a ditch.
If you add dirt to your garden, you might push more water onto your neighbors, and if you install a pump or drain, you could end up moving your neighbors’ water along with yours. It could be wise to discuss this with them so you can tackle it together across several properties.
We had this exact problem. We hired a landscaping company to install a drain. Our yard slopes slightly, and the water now drains into a subsurface tank, which resolved the issue. It wasn’t cheap, but we couldn’t risk having water sitting next to our foundation.
It seems like you’re living in an area prone to flooding. Is the nearby area also dealing with flooding?
I truly support the native plant rain garden idea. I’ve seen them work exceptionally well and they mean you won’t need to regrade your entire yard. Another option could be a French drain, which would need less digging but might not be as visually appealing.
Consider implementing a French drain with a catch basin.
Check out r/Irrigation for more ideas.