flooding Archives | Diana's Designs Austin

Landscaping project solves drainage problem…

We’ve lived for 10-1/2 years with a terrible drainage problem on our front sidewalk. When we get a good rain, a lake forms in front of the front door, making it impossible to come into the house without wearing galoshes or looking for a ferry. (Well, that might be an exaggeration.) If you look carefully, the edge of the stained concrete porch stops and you can see a tiny sliver of the sidewalk on this side of the puddle before you step up to the porch.

This is only a moderately-sized lake. When we get gully washers it’s much bigger.

I try not to think about the builder and the contractor who thought it was ok to build a sloping sidewalk that comes down the hill, and then goes back up with the next piece of concrete, making a V in which water will always puddle. They did the same thing in front of our garage doors as well, making a 3-car trench over which we also have to leap when it rains.

But I digress.

So, in addition to addressing our sprinkler/rain drainage and erosion problems in the beds that line the sloping sidewalk, we are fixing the entire sidewalk.

My crew dug the sides of the sidewalk out, separated the two pieces at the angeled joint and placed a BIG ‘ol pipe under it. They then deepened my dry creek trench (the first attempt to fix the problem, but it was inadequate).

I could not believe how meticulous they were with the cement pieces as I was sure they would crack in the process – the sidewalk is 14 years old after all. They cut it to fit together so it is perfectly level and far above the trench that will carry away the water. Before, the two pieces of cement met at an angle roughly down where the pipe has been laid.

It’s hard to see, but it’s all nice and level now!

And they made great progress today on the Oklahoma flag stone cap for the limestone edging. In this photo the mortar is still wet and they haven’t finished cleaning and brushing the excess off. But you can see where it’s going.

It was cold and windy and damp and they worked really hard today. And it all looks great. I’m proud of my crew and their skills, but I really was in awe today. Craftsmanship.

Oh, and did you see all that beautiful red clay they dug out around the sidewalk in the first pictures? I’m happy to say that it is officially basura (Spanish for trash) and is going away, to be replaced by 3-way garden soil and covered with fresh native Texas hardwood mulch when the edging is all done.

It should all be finished this week. I can’t wait to see it. And I really can’t wait for the warm sunshine of spring so I can start planting in it.

By Diana C. Kirby|2017-11-29T23:27:11-06:00February 3rd, 2014|Blog, concrete, drainage, dry creek, erosion, flood, flooding, hardscape, projects, rain, river rock bed, rock, Sharing Nature's Garden, stone edging, stone work|0 Comments

Too much of a good thing means TLC for my Mexican olive tree…

We’ve had about 7 inches of glorious rain over the course of the last week. Plants that were gasping in the drought are lush and full. Plants are re-blooming and those that didn’t bloom at all are now full of color. It’s been heartwarming to witness.

Rain water is considered “soft” water. Void of the chemicals found in treated water. Its also highly oxygenated and normally of a neutral PH.

Read more: http://www.physicsforums.com

One reason the rain has made such a difference because we’ve had so much of it. It’s also because rain water is so much better than treated municipal water because it is “soft” water that is oxygenated and has a relatively neutral pH. (Unlike more industrial areas that may experience acid rain)

There have been a few casualties, though. After the 6″ deluge last weekend, I went out to inspect everything and discovered that my new Mexican Olive tree was lying down – literally. At the end of a slight slope, the rush of water loosened the soil enough that the top heavy canopy and lack of well-established roots toppled the tree.

I knew I had to act quickly — I had no stakes and the ground was squishy with more rain coming. So, necessity being the mother of invention, I pushed up the trunk with my back and used a sturdy outdoor chair to brace it. Then I used a roll of plant tie on the other side to keep it upright, tied around a neighboring tree.

It’s still working. When the ground dries up it will clearly need to be staked for a while. That will be at the top of my garden to-do list, because this tree has become my new favorite.

The Mexican Olive tree, Cordia boissieri,can grow to 30 feet tall and it has large, dark green leaves and bold clusters of trumpet-shaped white flowers that are ruffled like crepe paper. It also has an attractive, structual trunk. It can’t tolerate really cold winters, but it has been grown with success in Austin, when we don’t have a winter like several years ago with 3 days and nights below freezing. It is drought tolerant and attracts birds and butterflies with its bloom and fruit.

I’ll keep babying mine along – I can’t wait to see it in its full-grown glory.

Rain water is considered “soft” water. Void of the chemicals found in treated water. Its also highly oxygenated and normally of a neutral PH.

When it rains, it pours…and pours and pours…

3.66.

That’s my lucky number. At least for a while, it is.

That’s how much rain we got yesterday between 6 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. It came down in buckets. And I began putting out buckets, and watering cans and coolers. We have several rain barrels, but I didn’t want to waste a drop. It was delightful … but a little scary, too.

When we get rain here in Central Texas these days, especially in the middle of what they’re calling a 10-year drought, we see quite a few gully washers. Because of our rock and clay soil, a high volume of the good stuff, results in serious flooding. This dry creek, for example, isn’t supposed to be a creek at all, just an interesting addition to the landscape in this spot. But it had moving water in it yesterday.

The rain came so fast that the overflow pipe from the pool (only a few inches in diameter), was gushing, but just couldn’t handle it all.

This was the pool at 3:00 when we were still in the deluge. I thought it was going to overflow and started to worry about all the surrounding beds.

The path to the greenhouse and the vegetable garden looked like an aquarium for a while. Those plants, used to very little water and hot, baking sun, may be a little stressed for a while.

And the AC made terrible noises. I thought it was going to blow up! I turned it off and it’s fine this morning.

The migraine is gone and it’s cool and windy outside. Feels like fall. Real fall. Fall like they get way up north. Ahhhh. Jeans and long-sleeve weather. Football weather (oh nevermind, we’re not going to talk about that – Central Texas readers will know whereof I speak).

I’m about to bundle up and pull on my galoshes and head out to survey. Something I do most mornings. I know that one Candlestick tree – Cassia alata — was pushed over by the weight of the rain, but it isn’t broken.

I can imagine the plants – all recharging and taking deep breaths, ready for an amazing growth spurt and some fabulous bloom time.

I know some of the plants – especially some of the indigo spires salvias – will have brighter blooms. They’ll do that with even a little extra water, so there might be a show this morning.

While I’m excited about seeing the garden, it’s going to be an inside day — too wet and mucky to do anything outside. Organizing my office will be the perfect chore for a cool, breezy fall day, and it will feel good to finally focus on the inside for just a while. (A short while!)

Ahhhhhh….

By Diana C. Kirby|2017-11-29T23:27:13-06:00September 21st, 2013|Blog, creek, dry creek, flood, flooding, rain, rainfall, Sharing Nature's Garden|0 Comments

flooding

Landscaping project solves drainage problem…

Too much of a good thing means TLC for my Mexican olive tree…

When it rains, it pours…and pours and pours…

Escape in the garden