Stunning Landscaping Design Ideas That Help Prevent Flooding

If you live in an area that’s prone to flooding, don’t fret! There are plenty of ways to design and landscape your garden that can help prevent too much rainwater from flooding your property. As long as you consult and partner with reputable professionals who can help you navigate your property’s stormwater pollution prevention plan (SWPP), there’s no reason your yard or garden can’t be both beautiful and functional. Here are some stunning landscaping design ideas that can help prevent flooding on your property.

Being strategic with the plants

There are plenty of plants that naturally drain rainwater more efficiently and prevent soil erosion,  like indigenous plants, which are simply any plants that are native to your specific locale. Here are some examples of indigenous plants that can help prevent flooding in your yard or garden:

• Creeping junipers, which are local to most of North America. They like sunlight, they are evergreen, and they naturally help with erosion control.
• Forsythia, which are gorgeous golden plants that take deep and tenacious roots, making them good at retaining soil.
• Spotted dead nettle, which is a combination of beautiful flowers and pretty leaves. These plants can tolerate full shade, so no worries about planting them in areas that sunlight doesn’t reach.
• Black mondo grass, which is true to its name. It’s grass but is black and has tall and seemingly sharp blades. When grown under direct sunlight, it will look amazing with golden plants like the Angelina stonecrop.
• Creeping phlox, which provides spectacular colors of pink and purple when in full bloom. When they start blooming up to six inches, you’ll know spring is coming.

By planting the right species of plants that are native to the area you live in, you will have natural protection against flooding in your property.

Leveling a slope

If your land has a slope in it, consult with your architect to check where you can have the ground slope away from your house in all possible directions. It’s about looking into the low and high points of your home and using dirt from your property to make the yard slope away from your house and main structure.

This process is called leveling. While this is something you can do yourself, it’s better to consult with professionals since they’ll be able to place safeguards that you can’t. 

Rain gardens

While flood-resistant plants can do the work of diverting water away from your yard and soil, you can also consider planting a rain garden, which is a structure that’s built into your landscape or garden. Its function, design, and purpose are to collect and absorb stormwater, so the water from the flood will be used to enhance and improve your garden rather than destroy it.

It’s simple: The process is relatively simple: First, professionals will find a low-lying area in your property that is at least ten feet away from your home, then they will remove the grass and dig a hole in the shape of a basin. Afterwards, they will let an inlet pipe to facilitate water removal, they will fill the basin with new and healthy soil, and add water-tolerant plants in the center. And presto! You have a pretty water garden that will absorb all the water from your property when it rains.

You can do this project yourself, but landscaping and SWPP professionals are better equipped to handle these home projects, especially if the weather changes in your area tend to be severe. Allowing experts to handle these valid concerns can help you relax knowing that your home is in good hands.

Drainage near driveways

Another way to get rid of stormwater and prevent soil erosion is by re-thinking the design of your driveway. While a paved one may look sleek and clean, it can instantly result in rainwater runoff. Instead of spaced-out pavers, consider switching to a gravel driveway.

If completely re-designing your driveway is out of budget, you can consider incorporating more drainage next to eat. One of the most affordable types of drainage is a channel drain, which works fast to eliminate excess water when it rains and during different types of wet conditions.

Be Ready

Because of climate change, the indicators we used to have about the kinds of storms and typhoons we can expect during different months and seasons get fewer every year. This is why our homes need to always be ready for what is ahead, whether it’s a typhoon, a snowstorm, a tsunami, or an earthquake. Our home is one of the biggest—if not the biggest—investment we can make for our safety and that of our family.