Are you having problems with drainage and erosion control on your Silver Spring MD property? If you are, you’re not alone. It’s a much more common issue than you might think. Before you dive right in and start trying to solve those issues though, it pays to take a step back and look at the bigger picture.

In particular, what other landscaping plans do you have in mind for your property? If you’re like most people, you’ve got a long and impressive list of improvements you’d like to make. Have you built a Master Landscape Design Document yet? If not, now’s the time to do so!

Don’t let the name intimidate you, basically it’s just a list of all the landscaping initiatives you’d like to undertake. Capturing all your goals and ambitions in a single document gives you a couple of important advantages.

First and foremost, it allows you to zero in on your most important landscaping projects and prioritize them in a way that makes sense. It also allows you to recognize projects that have dependencies and break bigger projects down into smaller components that are more budget friendly.

Finally, it allows you to strategically plan your landscaping work, which enables you to know how best to implement drainage and erosion control strategies on your Silver Spring MD property, and that’s huge.

Now, let’s talk about implementation. Here are the Big Three in terms of dealing with those types of issues:

Shrubs and Grasses

The simplest way to handle erosion problems is to plant shrubs and grasses. These will serve to create a dense network of roots that will keep your soil firmly in place and where you want it.

A Diversion Channel

This is simply another way of saying ‘an open drainage ditch’ and is the most cost-effective way of dealing with drainage issues. Since water always seeks the lowest point, it will naturally gravitate to the ditch and go where you want it to. There are lots of options on this front, including a nearby stream, a drainage ditch on the edge of your property, a dry well, or even a decorative pond.

A System Of Terraces

This is a more robust and expensive option, ideal for dealing with just about any drainage and erosion control issues on your Silver Spring MD property. It’s an especially good fit for areas of steep slopes on your property because it turns those slopes into usable yard space.

Terraces are formed by building retaining walls which incorporate drainage systems, neatly solving both issues at once.

So which option is best for you and your property? If you’re still undecided, give our office a call and let’s talk about it further!