If you have a low spot in your yard that tends to get soggy, muddy, or even turn swampy in the wet season, you may be looking for solutions to help the low-lying area reach its potential, instead of being a problem. Here are a few landscaping options to consider when you're looking for a solution to your low-lying area.

Rain Garden

If you have a lot of runoff from your driveway or roof that you need to manage, you may want to consider draining them all to the low spot and creating a rain garden there. This solution not only manages storm water so it won't cause problems like erosion, but also means your low spot will be a designated garden area and you won't have to try to mow it.

Rain gardens can also be great for local wildlife. For instance, they may offer shelter, water, and food for birds and pollinators such as butterflies.

French Drain

If you have a ditch or dry well nearby that you drain your gutters into, you may choose to drain your low area to the same place. Your landscaper can lay trenches and install a French drain system to carry excess water from your trouble spot to the ditch. They can then replace the soil and sod, or re-sod the area.

Water-Loving Trees

In some cases, a water-loving tree can soak up enough water to make a wet spot slightly less soggy. If your spot is only borderline problematic, consider this option. However, planting this type of tree isn't an option if septic systems or other plumbing pipes are too near. Water-loving trees are very aggressive about their water needs, and they may damage plumbing pipes.

If you're unsure which type of tree would be suitable, talk to your landscaping contractors about which tree or trees could help. Willows are a common choice for wet areas. Your landscapers may offer tree planting services as well.

Grading 

In some cases, a low-lying area is only swampy because it's low and water drains into it so easily. Many landscaping services offer the option of grading your yard, which can bring trouble spots up to the same level as the rest of the yard. Grading can also put the yard's surface at a very slight incline so excess water easily drains away into the ditch.

These are some of the solutions to consider when faced with a troublesome low-lying swampy spot in your yard. Your landscaping contractors can help you assess the area and decide which solution – or combination of solutions – to put in place.

For more information, contact a company who offers landscaping services near you.