A sunken garden with woman made riverbed drainage
This client had a pervious garden, that was half in a low spot and with drainage problems already. Then they had to change their lawn and add a septic system, which was going to further disrupt the garden spring and summer rain run off. So I moved many of the plants around making it look almost level from the yard when the plants are at peak growth in the summer. And placed a man made river bed of large rocks in the dip between the old garden and the new garden on the far hillside of the lawn. I also strategically put rocks below the hillside plants to direct water to first water these plants, then drain off around the plant, without washing away the roots and soil at the bases. The client did not want actual steps, but rather a natural looking inclined pathway that blended into both a rock patio in the middle of the garden, and also melded naturally with the river bed. The areas around the large rocks was then filled with sand and top soil and plants like iris that don't mind having wet feet in the spring but will help keep the soil from washing out during a summer rain storm.
