>From Monday to Wednesday this week we’ve had our very own garden gnome. Short, a touch on the “rotund” side, shape-wise and not prone to excessive talking.
But he was efficient! Work started on our drainage project (finally!) this week, and it’s now just over half-done, with the rest set to be completed within the coming week.
The shot above shows why we need to help nature lead water away from our garden; at the bottom of this 16-inch trench you can see the gray clay that lies under the top soil of our garden, and this is what makes it impossible for large quantities of rain to seep into the ground and what gave us the flooded lawn last summer and autumn.
Even after a series of dry and sunny days, the water seeps readily into the trench, so even with the drain in place there’s no way we will ever have a very dry garden, but we can eliminate the flooding and generally make the garden a safer place for plants.
We will have two main pipes running through the garden either side of the house, both originating in the same well at the lowest part of the garden and ending in a pumping well at the back of the annex where surplus water can be pumped out into the little stream during excessive periods of rain. Also, the downspouts from the house and the annex will be connected to the drain, ensuring that we bring the water away from the house.
I can’t wait to have it completely done, since only then will I be able to start planting the Ambitious Border down one side of the garden. I’ve been hoarding plants for this border since autumn and have started several annuals from seed to be planted out once the earth works are done and there’s no risk of a digger dumping a pile of soil on top of the plants or running over them.
April? Definitely not the cruelest month in my book…
>Much luck your way for your project's completion.
>You certainly do have your work cut out Soren. Keep your eye on that gnome I am sure he wants to devour your washing.
>Wow, you certainly have some water in your garden… You weren't tempted to have a network of rills and ponds rather than pipes? Glad it is well under way, because I am really looking forward to watching the Ambitious Border develop.
>Donna: The project is progressing nicely, so all is well and looks like it will all be done by the weekend so I can get cracking with the Ambitious Border.Alistair: Only washing on the line right now are some old rags that I use to clean up after painting, so hardly a great loss, were they to be devoured…Janet: We already have a small stream at the back of the garden, and besides we tend to have plenty of mosquitoes in the neighbourhood, so we're probably better off without stagnant water in the garden.