Erosion Control

Soil erosion occurs when water creates a concentrated flow over bare soil. The most important form or erosion erosion control is in the design phase of a garden. Erosion prevention takes the following forms:

• Piping all gutter water off the property, or into either a drainage disbursement field (underground) or a drainage swale (above-ground).

• Pitching the driveway to disperse all water in the street.

• Using "Gorilla Hair" bark on any steep slopes so that it does not wash away.

• Placing catch-basins in areas water collects and piping this to the street or in a drainage swale or dispersement field.

• Planting dense ground-covers so that the roots bind up the soil and the plant stems cause small streams to divide.

• Using terracing to break up steep slopes and slow down running water.

• Grading the landscape to minimize erosion and the need for artificial drainage.

It is always more economical and attractive to integrate drainage and erosion solutions into the landscape design than it is to retrofit a poorly developed design with drainage and erosion control measures. This is one area good design saves you money.