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How to stop flooding and improve grass

kmcmwjnkmcmwjn Posts: 15
in Garden design
Hello All

My Garden has the following problems and would be grateful for any advice

The garden only gets around 3-6 hours of sun in the morning but none in the evening

Only part gets sun in evening is decking area

This is due to the house is a new build 3 storey which has blocked out the light

The next door neighbor has install artificial grass and decking please see photos

I have 2 active boys which love playing in the garden mostly football

The main issues are

Soil cracks in the summer
Loads of weeds and moss in the winter months
Grass will grow in summer but dies in winter months

I think the soil is mainly rubble mixed with clay and drainage is really poor with flooding by the decking area and all of garden like a bog in winter

I want to redo the garden and am looking at ways to improve the soil quality and then install turf hopefully it will take 

Also will install a new patio aswell which will make sure has a slight slope for water drainage

Any advice many thanks 


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Posts

  • kmcmwjnkmcmwjn Posts: 15

  • kmcmwjnkmcmwjn Posts: 15

  • TallyVTallyV Posts: 9
    If you want to re-do the garden anyway, when you re-do the turf, get some of the soil taken up and ensure good top soil is put down. Can be worth adding sharp sand too before the top soil. We found our new build top soil was full of clay and our grass got squelchy underfoot and baked/cracked in sun.
     If it’s really bad you might want to look at putting ground drains in. 

    Ive also heard of people (in areas of heavy clay) taking layers of soil up, adding gravel, then decent top soil before turf. 

    Now we’ve had ours relaid on better top soil, we’ve also been having hollow tine aeration done to keep improving the soil (and feed and treat the lawn). 


  • kmcmwjnkmcmwjn Posts: 15
    Hi TallyV

    Many thanks for the advice 
  • amancalledgeorgeamancalledgeorge Posts: 2,736
    It makes me despair at the lack of thought that goes in building houses nowadays...such difficult conditions to garden and totally avoidable. Maybe you can add lots of shade loving plants in a border and some shrubs for structure that can take the odd ramble and tumble of children and footballs. The call your neighbours made with fake lawn is probably a pragmatic one, will be a fight to make a lawn work in that space and still have it be hard-wearing and neat.

    Let us know how you get on, I'm sure more expert people will come though with more ideas.  
    To Plant a Garden is to Believe in Tomorrow
  • kmcmwjnkmcmwjn Posts: 15
    Hi amancalledgeorge

    Thanks for the advice
  • kmcmwjnkmcmwjn Posts: 15
    Hi All

    So with the lovely Boiling Hot Weather in two days have spent sorting out the back garden

    Dug out 2 inches of old grass 

    Turned it over

    Dug in so drainage with pea gravel

    Then added 2 inches of Top Soil Mix from a local Company British Soil

    Bought Turf also from them and now have a finished garden lawn

    Hopefully it will all settle grow and be ready for when I'm back in a few weeks from holiday to enjoy with the family

  • kmcmwjnkmcmwjn Posts: 15
    Finished Garden with help from Father In Law laying Turf
  • kmcmwjnkmcmwjn Posts: 15
    Digging in Pea Gravel Trenches

  • kmcmwjnkmcmwjn Posts: 15
    Filling in with 3 Cubic Yards of TopSoil Mix 

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