Garden Planning · 5 min read
Common garden drainage problems and how to solve them
Water sitting on the surface is a symptom. Fixing it means understanding where it comes from and where it should go.
Compacted ground
The most common cause, particularly on newer estates where construction traffic compressed the subsoil. Water cannot get through, so it sits. The fix is mechanical: break up the compaction and replace it with a free-draining build-up.
Falls running the wrong way
Older patios frequently fall towards the house because the ground settled or an extension changed the levels. Relaying to a correct fall, with a channel drain at the building line, resolves it.
Nowhere for the water to go
- Soakaway pits filled with clean stone and wrapped in geotextile
- Perforated land drains routed to a soakaway
- Channel drains at thresholds and patio edges
- Permeable surfaces that spread infiltration over a wider area
What to check before calling anyone
Look at where the water first appears after rain, whether downpipes discharge to a drain or onto the ground, and whether the problem is worse near the house. Those three observations tell an installer most of what they need to know.