What is on the far side of the brook? More houses or fields/woodland?
Would it be possible to cut a gap in the hedge so you could enjoy a view of the brook as well as hearing it?
You would probably need a see-through fence of some kind to maintain security, but once done, it would give you more pleasure for no further outlay or effort.
Thanks all. I didn’t cut the channel. The previous owner did. I just tidied it up. I have probably not thought about Algae and muck getting stuck in a small channel. Like some of said I may probably end up just keeping on top of it. I certainly don’t want to backfill the border. I think it looks lovely as it is separated from the path.
Unfortunately I don’t want to cut a gap in the fence because there’s a farm at the back and the view is of his ‘waste’ area. All his old, unused machinery, pipes etc is dumped at the rear of his farm. This would be my view so it’s really a non starter.
I totally agree with @Cambridgerose12. The narrowness of the channel, the steep changes in level and the circuitous path will make building a water feature an extremely difficult task to accomplish. My principal concern would then be an outcome that would look most odd even if you managed successfully to build it.
I am baffled why the little trench was dug in the first place other than giving a neat edge. I would also fill it with soil and reinstate the lawn. Lavender is a possible alternative but they’ll need a bed more than 4” wide and fairly soon start to look woody and bedraggled. Regular maintenance can keep them looking neater but you say you have no time for that.
As you say you want to sit in the garden but not work on it, I would forget all ideas of doing something with the trench and concentrate on making your seating area as pleasant as possible. Having lived all my childhood in a garden with a little stream running just beyond the garden fence I have to say I never once heard the sound of it in the garden. Can you really hear yours? As was said in one of the earliest posts, a bubble water feature or small fountain next to the seating area might give you more pleasure.
PS I have just read your update that you do not want to fill the trench. The solution then is to allocate half an hour more a week to your mowing regime and once the lawn is done use long handled shears on the little trench to keep the edge crisp. Alternatively, employ someone to do the work for you.
Ok. Settled. It seems that the trench idea is dead. Thanks for all your comments. Yes, I can hear the stream because there’s a tiny Rick waterfall behind the hedge. After it’s rained the stream sounds lovely.
It’s absolutely possible to keep the channel if you don’t mind the grass upkeep (which after all is not too time consuming, just fiddly). The reason why you couldn’t simply divert water down it is that it is a channel of earth. The water will scour away as it travels round, carrying your soil with it and eating under the lawn. I see the virtue to your idea, I just think you would very likely end up regretting the consequences! It is your plot of land to do with what you like—that’s the main thing. If your main aim is to add some interest to the garden, then why not hunt down some interesting plants for it—they could be colourful perennials or architectural shrubs?
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I am baffled why the little trench was dug in the first place other than giving a neat edge. I would also fill it with soil and reinstate the lawn. Lavender is a possible alternative but they’ll need a bed more than 4” wide and fairly soon start to look woody and bedraggled. Regular maintenance can keep them looking neater but you say you have no time for that.
As you say you want to sit in the garden but not work on it, I would forget all ideas of doing something with the trench and concentrate on making your seating area as pleasant as possible. Having lived all my childhood in a garden with a little stream running just beyond the garden fence I have to say I never once heard the sound of it in the garden. Can you really hear yours? As was said in one of the earliest posts, a bubble water feature or small fountain next to the seating area might give you more pleasure.
PS I have just read your update that you do not want to fill the trench. The solution then is to allocate half an hour more a week to your mowing regime and once the lawn is done use long handled shears on the little trench to keep the edge crisp. Alternatively, employ someone to do the work for you.