The Water Situation

Today, our landscapers are back to work on the drainage issue we ran into with the big rains a couple of weeks ago.  These are the before pictures, taken on Saturday after our consultation with Dave, who runs the business, and the designer.  You may be able to see orange and pink flags (no reason for the color difference) going up the swale in the shadows to the right of the Mountain Laurel on the slope. They will be placing boulders  in that area to make sure the water flows into the channel they will create.  (The steps on the right are the ones leading up to the old logging road that takes us through much of our property.)

In this view, taken from the back where the retaining wall is, you can see more flags outlining the area of excavation that will create a sort of dry-retaining pond to slow the water down before heading down the drain.  The steps from the back porch are being rebuit to turn 90 degrees from their current path - the upright evergreen shrub next to the drain will have to be relocated to make that happen.

 

Cheryl's Dad was asking about the undergrowth - it doesn't show too well in the winter, but these are photos of the area off the driveway, overlooking the lot next door in the first one.Much of the close-in shrubbery is non-native Japanese Spirea. This area was part of the old logging roads, so open to the sun and these invasives like the Spirea and Multiflora Rose came in and took over.

The foreground in this next picture is our landscaping at the end of the driveway.

 

Here are the same two views, taken on Friday in the fog.  This is why we'd really prefer there not be a house built on this lot. Last year's American Beech leaves and the tulip poplar trunks glow in the mist.

 This is just an extra photo because I like these American Beech so much.