3 Tips for a Flood-Proof Flower Bed

10/6/2020 (Permalink)

Creating curb appeal that can withstand heavy rains can help your home weather any storm.

Homeowners with flower beds always welcome a good rainstorm — that is, unless it results in outside flooding. However, you can create landscaping that can handle all of that extra water. Construct a flower bed that stands up to heavy rain drainage with these three tips.

1. Choose Flood-Tough Plants
Certain plants are built for handling heavy rain and runoff. They are native to areas that get a lot of precipitation, so they can exist in standing water and not develop root rot or other issues. Here are some plant families that are made for outside flooding:

Shrubs and small trees
Varieties of wildflowers
Pine trees such as Colorado or white spruce
Perennials like daylily and hosta

These are just a few examples of plants that are good for soaking up water.

2. Go Heavy on the Mulch
Along with keeping weeds down, mulch is good for water control. Do not skimp on thickness or weight. Lay a thick layer of heavy hardwood mulch in your beds to help soak up water and keep the mulch from floating away. If it does and you see signs of water damage to your foundation, you should call a storm damage professional for an inspection.

3. Divert Your Downspouts to a Rain Barrel
Even if you clean your gutter system regularly to prevent backflow, a lot of water rolls out of downspouts into the flower beds edging your house. Installing a diverter and rain barrel lets you choose where water flows, avoiding oversaturation. The diverter goes inside your downspout and can be switched to let water flow out the end of the spout or into the barrel. As a bonus, you have extra water for gardening during dry spells.

Outside flooding is a serious concern during the rainy season in Austin, TX. Creating curb appeal that can withstand heavy rains can help your home weather any storm.