November 29, 2021

In Ann Arbor, rainy days often mean soggy yards that can lead to standing water. This is thanks to the clay soil that is so common in our area. Unfortunately, this clay soil can lead to poor drainage resulting in water collecting and staying in low spots on your property. Too often these collection areas develop around foundations and in high traffic areas. This soggy issue can be annoying to work around, but it could also be putting your home at risk. Water pooling at the foundation is caused by improper grading, and this problem can be much worse if your soil doesn’t easily drain because that water sitting against your house can cause damage over time.

A small decorative water fall in a garden.

The good news? An experienced, local drainage contractor can create and install effective and attractive solutions to beautify your landscape and protect important structures from water damage.

Retaining Walls Add Attractive Form and Useful Function In Your Landscape

Retaining walls are not only lovely additions to your landscape. They can prevent erosion and direct water away from your lawn. They also create spaces that can be used for a new patio or play area from places in your landscape that were previously inaccessible or unusable due to drainage problems. They can also protect plants and important structures from water damage and erosion from poor drainage.

However, they are not a one size fits all solution. A poorly built or badly designed retaining wall can lead to more erosion and drainage issues, creating yet more problems rather than solving the ones you already have. That is why you must find a qualified, experienced drainage contractor like Twin Oaks Landscape for your drainage project. A professional contractor experienced in working with clay soils knows the specific issues related to your area. Their local expertise will aid in carefully designing a retaining wall that not only looks good but is truly effective in solving your drainage problems.

Add A Dry Creek To Solve Your Soggy Lawn Problems

Installing a dry creek is one of the most attractive and effective ways to improve the drainage in a soggy lawn. Essentially a shallow ditch lined with rubber and filled with stones of various sizes, dry creeks collect excess water and direct it from your property to lower areas and storm drains where it can flow harmlessly away. Your drainage contractor will assess your landscape and the places where better drainage is needed, then design a dry creek installation that will effectively solve your drainage issues for years to come.

Winding dry creek bed in residential yard.

Not only do dry creek beds provide a great deal of protection from standing water, properly designed dry creek beds are beautiful features that transform your lawn from an ugly, soggy mess to a landscape you can enjoy every day. Imagine a beautiful, natural stream bed highlighted by gardens full of flowers meandering through your soft, green, DRY lawn. Trees and ornamental shrubbery planted along the creek bed will also help to absorb any overflow into the surrounding lawn areas and add more visual interest. Your new gardens will also attract birds and butterflies, making a welcome change from the mosquitos that often breed in the standing water in our yards here.

The drainage contractors at Twin Oaks Landscape have over 20 years experience working with landscapes and drainage issues in the Ann Arbor area. We’d love to design a solution for you. Contact us today for a consultation!