Calling all landscapers/gardeners

[captain jack]

Guys,

I have recently just moved from my flat into a house with a fairly large back (and front) garden. I have no clue about gardens and such, however I do know that the garden should not squelch all year round.

The previous occupants seem to have let the place to go to ruin and someone seems to have been a keen gardener in the past.

My problems are these, I need to run drainage in the garden, is it possible to have too much drainage under a lawn area?

How deep should the drainage trenches be? The garden is approximately 108 metres square and is sitting on a natural slant anyway.

The ground is naturally clay about 8-10 inches under the top soil, I have a pile of relatively large pebbles in the front garden that i am keen to have "vanished" so was thinking about sinking them in the back garden down the trenches.

As I said above though, is there a chance that too much drainage could be a consequence?

 

[chipperhead]

Here's a website with some info on lawn drainage.
http://www.hintsandthings.co.uk/garden/lawndrainage.htm

Rather than lawn drainage have you considered killing the lawn, rotavating with several tons of sharp sand and returfing / seeding?

 

[yermum]

Have a look in your local library as ours has loads of good books on this sort of thing, especially as you seem to be in a similar position ie. a garden full of clay.

One thing to consider is to improve the profile of the soil by digging loads of natural drainage material eg sand, well rotted manure etc. but it may help to get a professional along to give you an opinion.

Our garden is squelchy almost all year round and it is a nightmare.