lots of water, what to plant?

[sunshine]

We have a very wet stretch of our back yard, our neighbor has an underground  broken drain pipe(which carries water off their house when it rains) which runs of course down hill and we get the run off into our yard, we have installed french drains which carries the wet away from the house but now part of our yard is still very damp and mushy , what kind of tree or bushes can we plant that like alot of water?

[Bon]

Willow tree

[sunshine]

I have learned you get alot of mosquitoes with willow tree

[Petee]

Is there water laying in pools ever?  Can't walk across it in July wet?  Just damp after a rain wet? Moss?

[sscamaro]

put a pipe in the ground and have a koi pond from the run off :-/

good idea:clap:

[sunshine]

water is standing after rain, we always have really green grass even in the middle of summer,but right now its just so mushy and mowing grass at any time is a muddy mess

[Guest Tracy96]

I had the same problem so I planted a willow tree and problem solved.  The yard is no longer a swamp there and the grass is nice and green.  

[Harvey Mungaknuts]

can you channel the water away yourself without having to excavate your yard?

[Bub]

Be carefull not to plant any type of willow near sewer or drain lines because the willow's roots will find their way in to the pipe if possible and plug them with roots.  (especially older clay pipe) Just a note of caution!  If possible, maybe you could run an additional french drain to catch the excess water and run it away from the area.....

[Guest snellma]

Willow was my vote because they love the water.

[Harvey Mungaknuts]

Rice!!

[Petee]

I would see if there was any direction in which you could dig a shallow ditch to drain it.  Otherwise you may be able to fill the area with enough soil to allow the extra water to just run off.  It doesn't sound like it's not draining, just not draining fast enough.

[lavender]

Weeping willow is a good suggestion and also birches.  I just bought a couple of very pretty purple leafed ninebarks for a wet area. Nice shrubs.  Pu$$ywillows grow in damp. The red twig dogwood grows in wet areas. The purple and yellow water irises as well as Japanese irises will grow there. I've also got a short, striped grass whose name escapes me at the moment that grows well with wet feet. Just think of it as an opportunity to grow new and different plants.

[sunshine]

I am concerned about the willow because of the root system, I heard about barberry? and dogwood bushes also was advised to plant on a mound of dirt not to drown the plants when first planting so they can get a good root hold.........we have diverted the water but it just isnt draining fast enough not make such puddles what do you all think of these plants, I listed?

[lavender]

The barberries that I know about do not do well in soggy soil. They will tolerate moist soils but not what you are talking about. Make sure you get the bush dogwoods if you go with them. We're not talking about the dogwood tree that flowers in the spring.  There are also yellow twigged ones as well as the red twigged ones. There are actually wild red twigged ones around here growing in the swampy areas. They are very pretty in the winter when you can see the stems.

You can build up a mound and that will make it possible to grow plants that need moist soil but good drainage if you want to go to the trouble.