Are there plants that would combat waterlogging?

Willow.

 

Drains is the only thing that will improve a wet area.

Willow will do so too, but it needs to be a big tree to drink enough to make a difference, and that's a 15-20 year wait ...

So there is a difference between planting what will grow in a wet area, and making the area less wet

 

Ok, to put it all into perspective. This the area I am talking about from when I moved in (2010) to December 2012.

This is how it looked in June 2010 (you will see a large willow)



A closer view ....



Once I'd cleared much of the area, the tree surgeon came (Aug 2010) ....



In June, 2011, it wasn't looking too healthy ....



But still had some green growth ....



May, 2012 ....

Time to call in another tree surgeon ....

 

And this is what was left ...

Making the best of it ....



And by December .... (stump middle of right hand side of picture)



So, lots and lots of water! Hence question re: waterlogged area needing planting ideas (putting in drains isn't an option at this time).

 

You been there long enough to know if it has always been boggy? If it is a freak event I would ignore it. This year we have had standing water here where I have never seen it before, and have been regularly pumping out the soakaway (never had to do that before either)

From photo it looks like the ground slopes towards the fence, and the land behind, where the Willow was, slopes more steeply towards the [back of the] fence too?

Thus all water heads in that direction? is that right?

 

The water is all pooling to the left of the willow stump. So, if you look at the 5th picture, the waterlogging is the area between the willow (as was) the incinerator and then towards the lawned area on the right of the picture.

This is the first year that area has filled with water. But then, we have had two previously dry summers in the S.E.

Certainly the lawned area that side of the garden has had two occasions of waterlogging: once in June 2010 when I moved in



- but it soaked down within 2 days. The second time being recently.

September 2012 - as you can see the copse end is still above water level at that stage.



Hmm, maybe a case of raising the soil level? I'm certainly in the process of laying the duck and hen straw in the area for digggin in (the copse, not the lawn )

 

Doubt that will help, that much water will still collect in that area ... it will just fill the paths around the raised beds instead, and the beds will still get saturated.

Soakaway might help, but in a year like this you'd need to pump it out I expect (I presume there isn't really a downhill exit route from that area?)

How about a small-ish pump and a long-ish hose? I paid £50-ish for my pump, it takes a fat 1.5" hose and moves a prodigious amount of water ... obviously a smaller pump, left running for longer, with a bog standard garden hose, will do the same job. You could just dig a hole, take an old bucket and make a few holes in the bottom (to let the water in) and then put the pump in that - the bucket is only to stop it trying to suck up the mud from the bottom of the hole).

Get a pump with a float-switch so it doesn't carry on pumping when there isn't enough water.

Note: A long, standard, garden hose has a LOT of friction and will dramatically reduce the amount of water you can get through it. So you'll pay more in electricity using a 1/2" hose for very long periods and put more strain on the pump, so may be worth considering one of those flat hoses (like firemen use) and getting a 1" or wider

 

Or, give in gracefully and build a massive water feature?

 

Madhhalia .... the ducks enjoy it

 

Willow?

I think you need to control the wetness somehow; give it a defined edge.

How about creating a pond - perhaps with the willow stump island in the middle? Otherwise perhaps you could give the waterlogged area a border (with the logs) and make a bog garden to the side of a pond (that's where the pond overflows a little into soil), using:

astilabe, skunk cabbage, ferns, comfrey, ligularia, hostas, rhubarb, primulas, unbrella plant, trollius and rodgersia.

Otherwise: rice paddy?