Easy Ways to Improve Drainage in Your Garden
Efficient drainage is a critical component of garden maintenance. A well-drained garden can improve plant health, prevent waterlogging, and reduce flooding.
Whether you have a small garden or a large, open space, there are simple and practical ways you can enhance the way water flows through your back garden.
Today, Atlas Sheds will discuss four effective ways to improve garden drainage, helping you protect your plants, sheds, and furniture from dampness and squelching mud.
Assessing Your Garden's Drainage
You can assess your garden’s drainage by evaluating where the rainwater is going (or not going).
This will help you recognise any recurring drainage issues and areas for improvement.
Signs of Poor Drainage
There are various signs that you can look out for to check whether your garden drainage is poor.
These include:
- Persistent rain puddles: This includes puddles that are slow to disappear, particularly in the same spots, after rain.
- Water runoff from hard surfaces: If rainwater pools in low areas beneath patios, garden sheds, or driveways, this is a sign that the water isn't being drained away properly.
- Waterlogged grass: If the mud in your garden feels spongy and full of water, this means the soil is oversaturated and unable to drain effectively.
- Moss or algae growth: Excessive algae or moss growth will appear as green or slimy spots on your soil or lawn, damaging plant growth.
- Cracked soil: If your soil keeps cracking in dry weather, this indicates it’s compacted and lacks proper structure.
- Wilting or yellowing plants: Are your plants looking a little down? If so, the soil is consistently too wet, leading to root rot.
Conducting a Simple Drainage Test
A drainage test can help you identify which areas of your garden have poor drainage and act accordingly.
To do this, follow these few simple steps:
Step 1—Select low spots (areas where water accumulates after rain), areas near plants, and hardscape areas (near patios, driveways, or paths) to test for drainage.
Step 2—In these areas, use a spade or small trowel to dig several small holes about 30 cm (12 inches) deep and roughly 15 cm (6 inches) wide.
Step 3— Fill the holes with water to saturate the soil and see how much water it can hold. Then, allow the water to drain.
Step 4— After the water has drained away, refill the test holes to see how long it takes for the water to drain completely. If the water drains in 30 minutes, it’s very porous and dries too quickly, leading to dry patches. If it drains in 1-2 hours, the soil has good drainage. If it takes 4 hours or more, the soil is compacted or clay-heavy, causing waterlogging.
1. Use Raised Beds for Improved Drainage
Raised beds are an excellent way to improve drainage in clay-rich soil, excessive pooling, or a sloped garden.
These allow excess water to flow out from flower beds, improving plant health and growth. You can fill these beds with various types of soil, compost, and organic matter and place them anywhere in the garden.
You can read how to build your own raised beds here.
Benefits of Raised Beds
- Encourages water runoff: The elevated structure of raised beds means that water flows down the sides of the bed rather than pooling at the surface.
- Better aeration and root health: Raised beds allow plant roots to access air and water, leading to healthier plants.
- Reduced erosion: They help prevent erosion in sloped gardens by containing the soil and slowing water runoff.
- Prevents weeds and pests: Raised beds can help deter slugs and snails from reaching the plants. Weeds are also less likely to spread from surrounding soil.
Top tip: Opt for a raised bed of 30 cm high to reduce the chances of saturation.
2. Add Organic Matter to Improve Soil Structure
Organic matter helps to break down compacted soil, turning it into a well-draining, nutrient-rich environment for plants.
Not only does it help excess water flow through the soil, but it also helps to retain moisture, ensuring plants get enough water in the summer. Organic matter also encourages microbial activity, helping to break down materials and improve soil health.
Types of Organic Matter to Use
- Compost: Improves soil fertility and texture, and it helps to retain moisture.
- Leaf mould: Improves aeration, lightens heavy soils, and increases water retention.
- Well-rotted manure: Boosts nutrient levels, helps retain moisture and increases the organic content of the soil.
- Green manure: Increases soil fertility, prevents soil erosion, and adds organic matter.
3. Install a Simple Drainage System
Drainage systems can improve gardens, which frequently face waterlogging issues.
This channels water away from garden beds and lawns and prevents soil erosion, plant death, and damage to garden furniture.
Three of the main types of drainage systems to install are:
French Drain Installation
This system consists of a trench filled with gravel and a perforated pipe. French drains help divert excess water away from your garden beds and lawn to a designated drainage area.
This is ideal for low-lying areas where water tends to pool. The perforated pipe collects water from the surrounding soil and directs it through the gravel-filled trench to a soakaway or another drainage outlet.
Channel Drains
Channel drains, or surface drains, can be installed alongside hard landscaping features, such as patios, sheds, and driveways.
These drains channel water into underground pipes to a storm drain or soakaway, directing the water away from your garden.
Dry Wells (Soak-aways)
A dry well, sometimes referred to as a soak-away, is a subterranean drainage system intended to release excess water into the nearby soil.
This is a great alternative to surface drains or French drains when they can’t control the water volume in gardens with ongoing drainage issues. For dry wells, a large, gravel-filled pit is built to collect water and disperse it to the surrounding soil.
4. Choose the Right Plants for Wet Areas
If your garden has drainage issues, you don’t have to give up on your dream of gardening and growing luscious plants.
Opt for plants that thrive in wet or boggy conditions! A variety of plants are well suited to wet environments and waterlogged soils. They can also help absorb extra moisture, reducing pooling.
Water-Tolerant Plant Suggestions
Trees and shrubs
- Willows
- Redtwig Dogwood
- Swamp Cypress
- Alder
Perennials
- Hosta
- Iris
- Marsh marigold
- Astilbe
Grasses and ferns
- Japenese forest grass
- Reed canary grass
- Sedge
Aquatic plants
- Water lilies
- Marsh fern
- Cattails
Discover the Perfect Shed for Your Garden
Atlas Sheds provide stunning, high-quality sheds for every home.
Improving your garden’s drainage is just one step towards creating an outdoor space you can enjoy all year round.
Whether you need extra storage for your gardening tools or a stylish new workshop for your backyard, you can choose from summer houses to tool sheds and much more!