I don't have clay, but agree that organic matter is what's important, don't know if sand will help or hurt. You might also want to buy some sandy loam (by the yard, not the bag) to get started if all you have is clay, but then you can keep adding organics, either composted in place or in a bin. Mix in some of your clay from your trenches, but I wouldn't dig under the beds b/c it will become like a bathtub under there. Best to go ask over on the Soil and Compost forum. But I don't see that you need the basins unless there are only a couple of spots that are squishy. You'd be better off trenching and putting gravel in the trenches, then either leaving them open or putting in perforated pipe wrapped in landscape fabric (so any soil doesn't clog them, I'd think that putting them on a bed of gravel and backfilling with gravel would be VERY important in clay). Get the slope right and get permits, you can't just drain it to neighbor's property or the river. So combo of raised beds maybe with trenching around them so you're not squishing in the aisles sounds best. But is your whole property like this? Every year or just this year? Sounds like you have a major problem if this is after every rain. How long does it take your lawn to dry out? We have had major rain this June (and one 5" day a couple of weeks ago) when our entire back yard has been squishy but a couple of days later it's OK (sandy loam and French drains around the foundation). How's your basement?

How much pruning are you talking about? Does it have any leaves now? Some of my early blooming japonicas decided to bloom, sleep and start finishing their bloomage now. I have not noticed new leaves opening here yet so you may just want to wait and continue watering to keep the soil as evenly moist as possible. I fertilize later this month; if you think there may be a problem, do not fertilize now as stressed plants should not be fertilized.

No problems. There was a time when I may have worn "cool pants", if white jeans can be considered such. LOL In any case, I like to use G. maccrorhizum and its forms as a groundcover in dry shade. They do self-sow, but sometimes that's what one wants! I've used a couple of varieties of G. sanguineum in full sun situations, and I found that they only spread very slowly by either self-sowing and/or by the roots. It's possible that some forms are more "aggressive" than others, although relative to some other perennials, I still wouldn't consider this one to be aggressive. It does propagate by root cuttings however, so removal from a spot in the garden can be difficult at best.

I agree with coolplantsguy. I have geraniums selfsowing in many places. Where inappropriate I consider them weeds and pull them out. In lawns I use a spray bottle with a weedkiller. To remove your particular geranium permanently in places, you have to dig it out with all its roots. I cut those runners back early until the mulch shows to keep a group of plants look neat.