skip to main content

Landscape Design

Landscaping ideas for a drainage ditch

4 years ago

I am looking for some ideas on landscaping this drainage ditch. Currently I push mow the whole thing every week and it's right in our front yard so I'd like it to look good. I'd rather not fill it in with a culvert because that would be cost prohibitive. I'm looking for some ideas on what to do to make it less maintenance and look better.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (3)

mindshift
4 years ago
First I should ask if local government mows this at any time during the year. I live in a rural subdivision and my county mows about 5' along the street edge of everyone's property twice a year. Don't waste time and money on planting an area you have no control over. If local government doesn't maintain this area, do you have a property owners or neighborhood association with rules about maintenance or limitations on landscaping?

If the answer is NO, then my next question is: is the ditch deep with steep sides or is it shallow and wide? Shallow and wide is called a SWALE. Obviously shallow and wide is easier to work with, and you could develop a rain garden where one or both sides of the swale is planted with perennials and subshrubs. I recommend you avoid large growing plants that will shade out smaller plants and lead to erosion. Group plants in drifts of 3 or more along the drainage area. Don't try to plant the entire area at once. Gardening is trial and error, and not every plant will work out. In fact you could find that species flourish and struggle from year to year.

HERE is a link to a list of plants for rain gardens on the east coast, and here is another LINK to plants for the west coast. Here is ANOTHER link to plants recommended for Texas rain gardens. Texas varies from wet in the east to dry in the west and from zone 9 in the Rio Grande valley to zone 6 on the Panhandle plains. Many times it is best to choose plants native to where you live as they handle weather extremes better than introduced plants. Sedges are grasslike plants that tolerate sun and shade, wet and dry. Most grow around 12" tall and I think are excellent for the bottom of a drainage area. Here is a link to a NURSERY in Wisconsin with sedges and other native plants. Do a search for rain garden plants for your state to see what comes up.
Matthew
Original Author
4 years ago

Thanks for your advice. The bottom has water almost all year long so I dont know if a rain garden would work but I like the idea of sedges. I will have to look into those.
Related Discussions
Landscape/Drainage Ideas
Q
Comments (6)
Arkansas is a state that recognizes the Civil Law of Drainage. You may not lawfully block the natural flow of water from your neighbor onto your lot. Likewise your downstream neighbor may not block the flow from your lot. Look for any recent changes your neighbor may have made that obstructs the flow from your lot. The most critical elevations that will dictate what solutions are available to you are 1 the lowest elevation along the perimeter of the back property line, 2 the house foundation and finish floor height, and the elevation of the high side of your lot if you want to pipe some of the water. During big rains, the rain garden area will overflow and exit your property at some point. You need to identify where that is. Your sketch looks great, can I assume it is a scaled drawing?
...See More
What should I do with this drainage ditch? (pics)
Q
Comments (23)
If I lived there I'd want to extend the screening that the fence provides and see less of the roof of the house next door. Given that money is no object here in hypothetical-land my first proposal would be to install contained running bamboo in the narrow strip. It would require installation of a plastic root barrier. Limbed up to the top of the fence, the bamboo could appear fairly "open". Limbed up higher, it would seem more open and at least filter the view of the neighbor's roof. The canes would arch over the concrete and put it in shade. A litter-eating groundcover below would be nice. If a similar effect was desired but with less involvement than installation of a root barrier, canes of crape myrtle as a solid run (or in several large groupings for a different effect) might be something to consider... or Vitex... or? A seating area of a meaningful size would make more sense closer to the house and trying to put something like it over the drainage ditch seems like it would cause legal or maintenance problems. But a modest play structure of some sort--like a swinging bridge-- might work and not cause trouble. When the day comes that the fence needs re-painting, I'd consider taupes or greys instead. I don't think the dark brown has broad appeal. Limbing up some of the regular trees would help combat some of the heavy shade conditions. Uploaded with ImageShack.us
...See More
Huge deep drainage ditch (what to do?)
Q
Comments (36)
I finally was able to contact the city and they have set up an inspection. They should be able to tell me what can and cannot be done. I've kind of combined all the ideas I've recieved into one and I think this will work: 1 - armour stone retaining wall around yard. 2 - 6" culvurt pipe for stormwater drainage from surrounding swale 3 - weeping tile behind wall to enable drainage from neighbors yards 4 - weeping tile in front of wall to enable drainage from our yard 5 - crushed gravel fill with cloth on top 6 - soil and sod on top of cloth Quotes for this have ranged between 5 to 8 thousand dollars.
...See More
landscape ideas for front ditch
Q
Comments (5)
After looking at your earliest photos of the house and gardens, which seem to show the ditch pretty clearly, I wonder if it really makes sense to plant along the ditch. I realize that trimming lawn adjacent/within the ditch is a nuisance, but the expansive views that the existing lawn promotes seems more in keeping with your situation than breaking this up with plantings, which would also tend to make this frontage look a little too "busy". The scale of your landscape is almost inconceivable for an urban California gardener, where a typical lot is only 50 foot by 120 foot deep. Just trying to keep that amount of lawn green all summer would be very expensive here. It looks like a beautiful setting and property, although I wouldn't want to experience one of your winters...
...See More
PRO
Yardvaark
4 years ago
Without a picture it's hard to make suggestions. With almost always standing water, cattails seem like a possibility, if they're not too tall.

Related Stories

EARTH DAY 12 Sustainable Gardening Ideas From Landscape Design Pros

By Lauren Dunec Hoang

Create a more earth-friendly garden by planting for pollinators, ditching pesticide use and more

LANDSCAPE DESIGN Trending Now: 10 Ideas From Our Most Popular New Landscape Photos

By Annie Thornton

Planning a landscape upgrade? Get inspired by the Houzz community’s favorites so far this year

LANDSCAPE DESIGN Ditch the Ordinary Ditch: Create a Realistic Dry Creek Bed

By Jay Sifford Garden Design

Here’s how to turn your water runoff system into an eye-catching accent for your landscape

INSPIRING GARDENS Inside Houzz: A Waterfront Property Ditches the Grass for a Garden

By Annie Thornton

New drought-tolerant plantings and outdoor gathering spaces help this California backyard take in the view without wasting space or water

LANDSCAPE DESIGN Get Along With Less Lawn — Ideas to Save Water and Effort

By Jocelyn H. Chilvers

Ditch the mower and lower your water bill while creating a feast for the eyes with diverse plantings and gathering places

MOST POPULAR 20 Ideas for Easygoing Summer Parties

By Laura Gaskill

Ditch the fancy and fussy in favor of laid-back entertaining that leaves you more time to enjoy the fun

LANDSCAPE DESIGN See 3 Sloped Lots Transformed Into Beautiful, Usable Landscapes

By Annie Thornton

These designers turned muddy, overgrown hillsides into terraced outdoor living spaces

MOST POPULAR 25 Ideas to Perk Up Your Side Yard

By Becky Harris

Turn this often overlooked area into an enticing and useful outdoor space

GARDENING AND LANDSCAPING 10 Rock Wall Ideas for a Style-Strong Patio

By Laura Gaskill

Strengthen the look of your yard — and solve landscape design dilemmas — with a rock wall that fits right in

GARDENING GUIDES 10 Ideas for Creating an Inviting Courtyard

By Fisher Tomlin & Bowyer

Design an amazing patio garden for your home with these professional touches

Sponsored

More Discussions

Is this Rose Rosetta Disease? And Recommendations for Replacements

16

Can these be saved?

10

Rate this Floor Plan

7

May blooms - matching fragrant star azalea

1

Lorapetalum in zone 7b

0