About us. We are garden and lawn drainage contractors specialising in draining domestic gardens, solving waterlogging, soggy lawns, boggy soil and surface water problems with solutions that work, even on clay soil. In most cases without major hard landscaping or raising garden surfaces. 

We have not suddenly appeared as a reaction to recent flooding of the Somerset levels and Thames valley or recent record rainfall, we have been installing French drains for many years, both as a necessity and for the past 10 years as a business. We know what we are doing, we can fix it.

What causes water logging and surface water puddling problems?

There are several causes for  poorly or slow draining spongy soil. It is a common problem, not just for homes and gardens built on low lying land, floodplain, clay or compacted soil.

Structures you or your neighbour have added, like retaining walls, footings for extensions and swimming pools can all divert surface rain water and underground springs, causing water logging. Probably one of the worst culprits are the old-fashioned non-permeable patios and driveways constructed using printed concrete. In most cases they are not permeable, so shift the water to some where else. Runoff from neighbours.

What can I do with my flooded garden? 

A lot of time and money can be spent trying to trace the source of the problem, leading to disputes with neighbours, surveyors, the builder who built the extension the landscaper who installed your patio and retaining wall, without considering the effect on garden drainage. The only way to fix it, is to drain the water away from your lawn and garden.

How to drain a garden.

This is the system we recommend and install on waterlogged clay based soil.

Based on French drains, its installed under the existing turf or garden topsoil and solves water logging and other garden drainage problems, its easily the best drainage system for clay gardens. The drainage system takes about four days to install and the garden starts to drain immediately. Why put up with a lawn the kids can't play on and mud you can't plant in. The problem won't just go away.

Herringbone French drainage system.

If lawns are waterlogged over the whole area, a French drain installed in a Herringbone pattern is your best bet.

This is how we install French drains

Mark out and dig the main trench from the highest part of the lawn, to the lowest part.

Connect to a Soak away, Sump, or Surface water drain.

Then mark and dig out the side trenches to connect to the main drain, forming a herringbone pattern.

The side drains join the main drain at a 45 degrees angle and are spaced at 10 ft intervals for clay soil and 25 ft intervals for loamy soil.

Fill the drains with wrapped gravel. I/e line the trench with heavy duty landscape fabric, for sale in the drainage shop. This keeps earth out of the gravel and allows water to percolate freely through the gravel. Next shovel coarse gravel onto the landscape fabric, leaving a 3 or 4 inch space, and wrap the fabric over the top of the gravel.

Next loosely shovel three or four inches of clay free topsoil back into the trenches, slightly overfilling to allow for settling and making sure not to compact the soil.  

• Soakaways are unlikely to work in clay soil. If after you have dug out the soak away, you find the water is not draining from it, you will need to look at either connecting into the surface water drain system or where this isn't feasible, converting the soak away into  a sump and pump to pump the water away.
• Covering the area with top soil can create one big sponge
• Raising the surface without an escape route for the water could create one big soggy bog garden
• Using incorrect size/type of gravel, and wrong fabric to wrap the gravel, will cause the trenches to fail to drain . USE THE CORRECT MATERIALS!

Opportunities for garden drainage professionals to take on leads in London, the midlands and southern England. 

details here

Contact Mike

Happy customer

Hi Mike,

 I just wanted to get in touch to let you know that despite the dire weather we've had since you installed drainage for us back in April, it has been working fantastically. We are so pleased - it has worked even better than we hoped it would. We no longer have to wear wellies and run the risk of sinking in a bog every time we venture outside! With any luck we may even get some summer soon and be able to actually sit out there! The other thing is we found a steel flask in the garden that one of you left - I washed it out and put it to one side to post but forgot - have just rediscovered it! Do you want me to post it back to you, or are you back in Cardiff anytime to pop in and collect it? Let me know what's best. Thanks once again. We will gladly recommend you to anyone needing drainage work done in future.

Louise Name and address supplied.

The following D.I.Y information has been moved to my

  D.I.Y. garden drainage page 

• How to install garden drainage. 
• Testing a waterlogged garden. . 
• Solving soggy, waterlogged lawn and garden problems yourself.
• Draining the rain water away.
• What will solve saturated soil problems ?
• What are the main reasons for poor garden drainage problems? 
• How can I drain water away and fix a waterlogged garden and soggy lawn problem myself 
• French drain.  
• Soakaways on clay soil Herringbone drainage. . 
• Soakaway drainage trench.

 Alternatively purchase my simple to follow D.I.Y. guide to installing basic garden drainage, for only £10.00. This includes five minutes free telephone support and can be found on this page  Diy garden drainage

The guide will be useful to both D.I.Y home owners and landscape contractors wishing to install land drainage. It is an easy to follow guide that includes, telephone back-up, marking out, materials and a formula to calculate the gravel to fill the trenches.

The drainage guide costs £10.00 and can be purchased here.