Trees, plants or shurbs to plant on Soakaway ?

Mario Theodorou

We installed a French drain system to our garden as we has a bad drainage problem, we also have a soakaway at the bottom of the garden. What plant,shrubs or trees can I plant to help drink some of the water?



Have looked at the pussy willow but worried about the roots greeting into the French drains, have also just purchased red dogwood as have read they can help.



Any ideas?

Gardening Grandma

Any  tree will be thirsty but will obviously have quite a lot of root. As I posted on another thread, I know someone who had a boggy spot in his garden so he built a pergola next to it and planted a large climbing rose. It worked.

nutcutlet

Make the most of it and grow plants that like the conditions. There are some lovely plants that grow in boggy areas. I wouldn't choose a willow though, they don't know when to stop.. Astilbes and rodgersias, ligularias. Lots of them out there.

Joyce Goldenlily

I would avoid growing any tree or bush over or near a soakaway and drainage system. If the ground is very boggy, possibly try some perrenial bog plants, astilbes, hostas, primulas, iris

figrat

Or, if you have the sapce, a gunnera.

Longshanks 2

At the back of the house there is a soakaway to take away any water from an outside tap which works quite well.  Would it be possible to build or lay a decked patio on to the top of this and still have it work so effectively in the future?