Drainage

I knew from looking at what was naturally growing in this area that it was fairly damp most of the time (meadowsweet, rushes, briars and tufts of grass with bundles of roots above the soil level). We haven't had a lot of rain in the last year compared to normal levels, until this recent spell which is lasting nearly two weeks. I started clearing the area behind the greenhouse yesterday and realised there are a series of channels of water running down here, under the greenhouse and all along the other side. I decided to try to use this natural water path and gather some of the rainwater before it goes under the tunnel, so I started digging a hole to put the little paddling pool in at the lowest spot to catch the water. The plan is to also dig out the channels more and add gravel and stone to direct the water between the raised beds which will go here.

The roots of meadowsweet and other plants in wet soil run along the top rather than deep into the ground.

I added a row of glass jars to make the side of one drainage channel. I may rethink this though. 

Paddling pool in hole.

I had to leave before I dug the hole deep enough to have the pool lower than the channels that will feed into it. Today it is floating on top of a hole full of water as it rained again all night. We have Storm Gareth passing over the country last night and today, so it's very windy and cold again, with several heavy showers. This area is too wet to continue with again.

The hole filled with water under the pool during the night.

There's much more water sitting on the surface today. The beds of Dogwood and Willow are completely covered. As they grow they should help ease this problem. There has been an unusual amount of rain this week, continuing at the moment.