Water is essential for our lives, our ecosystems, and our landscapes. Thankfully, Mother Nature offers plenty of water for free. But rain events can cause problems in our yards and gardens (and beyond) when water runs or pools in undesirable places.

Uncontrolled water runoff pollutes local waterways by carrying fertilizer, pesticides, pet waste, gasoline, and other contaminants into bodies of water. This is harmful to marine life, plants, wildlife, and people. Runoff also causes soil erosion and can wreak havoc via basement flooding or structural damage to our homes and buildings, among other issues.

In the Cincinnati region, we typically receive around 44” of rain and 15” of snow each year, and our hilly area is especially prone to runoff issues. All of this means it’s necessary to plan for proper drainage across your landscape.

The good news? Natural landscaping can help solve water management issues.

At Our Land Organics, we regularly employ a variety of ecologically sound strategies to manage water and solve drainage issues in residential and commercial landscapes. These approaches include lawn alternatives such as native meadows and prairies, dry creeks, bioswales, permeable hardscapes, rain gardens, rain barrels, and more.

Ecological Landscaping: Drainage Solutions

While the right solution is always site-specific, here’s an overview of just some of the many ways ecological landscaping strategies could help solve drainage headaches.

Strategy #1: Lawn Alternatives

Replacing turf lawn with native meadows and prairies is a fantastic way to manage excess water runoff while supporting pollinators. All those roots in the ground help encourage water filtration into the soil, slowing and dispersing the flow of water. Plus, native landscapes sustain pollinators and wildlife.

Strategy #2: Rain Gardens & Rain Barrels

Collecting rainwater where it falls is a straightforward way to slow the spread of water across a landscape. Rain barrels offer an extra simple means of capturing runoff from a roof. This water can then be used to water plants between rain events.

While more complex, rain gardens provide an even more robust solution for rainwater collection. They can be used to catch water from downspouts, turf, driveways, patios, and other surfaces. Bonus: When designed with native plants, rain gardens double as unique and beautiful landscape features that attract beneficial wildlife.

Strategy #3: Permeable Surfaces

Impermeable surfaces—such as asphalt, block paving, and concrete—act like speed ramps for running water and prevent the filtration of water into the soil. Replacing these surfaces or designing new hardscapes with permeable materials can help dramatically. Some of our favorite permeable hardscape materials include gravel, pavers, and crushed limestone.

Strategy #4: Bioswales and Dry Creeks

When it’s not possible or desirable to collect or disperse water, bioswales and dry creeks offer a functional and aesthetically pleasing means of controlling the flow of water instead. Both strategies allow you to direct water away from your home and send it toward a rain garden, stream, or other desirable location.

A bioswale effectively looks like a ditch or a channel that is beautified via plantings of water-tolerant plants. As the name suggests, a dry creek is a manufactured “creekbed” that is typically filled with stones and sits dry except during rain events, when it channels and guides water along a desirable path.

Drainage issues can cause serious headaches, but they also present opportunities to create a more functional and beautiful landscape. If you’re experiencing water management challenges, we’d be happy to help you identify and craft a desirable solution via natural landscape design.