I need an idea on what to do here, I have tried sod , planting grass..

Renate Kresz
by Renate Kresz
Please help me :(
  25 answers
  • Mary Mary on Feb 26, 2017

    Paver stones or concrete a patio there. You could put in a wooden deck level with the step, using treated 2 x 4 lumber directly on the ground with deck boards on them.


  • William William on Feb 27, 2017

    I agree! The rain and water runoff floods and kills everything. Pavers, flagstone, etc.

  • Johnchip Johnchip on Feb 27, 2017

    Stones and pebbles to make a mini dry creek bed feature.

  • Cathy Cathy on Feb 27, 2017

    Rain garden might work---plants that don't mind wet feet some of the time.

  • Geeswonderland Geeswonderland on Feb 27, 2017

    Can see by your step rain and winter is flowing across so make sure you drain a different way or redirect the spouting.. have you tried digging up the dirt (roto or something as such) mixing up the earth then planting grass seed? (if that area don't get sun buy seed for low sun or whatever it's called) had rocks really bad here yard looked like that patch, probably isn't your problem but the grass grew in nicely.. Good luck!!

  • Treasuredchaos.com Treasuredchaos.com on Feb 27, 2017

    I like the paver ideas! You could leave some out, and half bury pots to plant into in places...maybe.

  • Chris Cilmet Chris Cilmet on Feb 27, 2017

    I had similar thoughts of pavers, or other ground materials, with a raised garden bed and perhaps a water feature, all surrounding a sitting area.

  • Renate Kresz Renate Kresz on Feb 27, 2017

    Thank you everyone, I will try some of these ideas.

  • Dresdr Dresdr on Feb 27, 2017

    Rocks. And pebbles.

  • Virginia Prestridge Virginia Prestridge on Feb 27, 2017

    PUT IN A DRY CREEK FOR THE DOWN SPOUT TO GO IN, THEN MAKE A RAISED BED IN THE REST . THE EXCESS WATER GOES DOWN THE DRY BED AND THE PLANTER STAYS PUT

  • Diana Deiley Diana Deiley on Feb 27, 2017

    I'd install a french drain that will carry all that excess water away from the home. You have many options to dress up the area afterwards...pavers, brick, flagstone, dry creek, crushed stone, decorative cement, etc. It's a great opportunity to add beauty to your wonderful front yard. Best of luck.

  • Pam Miller Pam Miller on Feb 27, 2017

    Shorten the downspout or replace with a rain chain that goes into a rain barrel and divert the water via a hose to the area where the bicycle is. Plant that area (where bike is) full of shrubs,plants and flowers you can water from the barrel or just divert the water from the barrel through a rockbed with a waterfall in it that only flows when there is water in the barrel.

  • I_A12355526 I_A12355526 on Feb 27, 2017

    Very shady area? Plant different species of Hostas.

  • Dfm Dfm on Feb 27, 2017

    I would go with the rain barrels as others have suggested. you can link 2 together, put a hose tap at the bottom and use to water your yard or divert it to the storm drains. get a grass seed mix for heavy shade ares, full sun areas .if you are on a slope you may need to re seed occasionally. it took about 4 mo to get the grass growing under my trees. hosta and lady's mantel do well in shade.


    my rain barrels were from a food place-syrup i believe. if you can find food grade barrels for water, that's the best option. there are indstructibles/ videos on you tube.

  • Sandi McIntyre Sandi McIntyre on Feb 27, 2017

    That much water by your house is horrible for the foundation. I'd put in a French well. We made one last year out of a 55 gallon barrel with lid and a drain kit from Lowe's. Under $50, and one afternoon.

  • Lana Kregerova Lana Kregerova on Mar 01, 2017

    Maybe place a large planter pot under downspout and make watergarden there I would use small river rock and flagstone to fill out rest of area then put out potted plants here and there

  • Canadianlady Canadianlady on Mar 01, 2017

    We had the same problem with rain water eroding a section of our yard. We added a flexible extension to the end of our eaves trough pipe that curls up when it's not raining and that rolls out when it does rain to divert water away from the house. My husband dug a trench where he wanted the water to flow. He filled it with gravel and then planted grass over it. Now when it rains the extension rolls out, and it guides the water, which seeps into the trench and drains out into the street gutter.

  • Pat Pat on Mar 01, 2017

    I was going to add the same thing....we put an extension on our rain spout to get water away from the house..when you mow the lawn, just move the extension over. When you move it to mow, just lay it in another spoy or dig a trnch with rocks to give the water some place to go.

  • Sophia,M.,McConnery Sophia,M.,McConnery on Mar 02, 2017

    I would do a rock garden with those succulents!

  • Charly Charly on Mar 03, 2017

    I would move the downspout to the other end close to the house. I would then dig a trench and put pea gravel in the bottom of the trench for drainage. Attach pvc pipe with holes drilled on the top side of the pipe to the elbow of downspout and direct it away from the house by going across the yard towards the street. Cover the trench with dirt, plant grass seed. And Bob's your uncle. A lot of physical work but well worth it in the end. No more mud. No more dead grass. And that downspout is out of the way. Which to me looks like a temporary solution for an existing drain problem. Good luck.

  • Gordon Fann Gordon Fann on Mar 03, 2017

    First get the water away from the house. You definitely don't want water seeping through the foundation. Dig a trench from the downspout and run a French drain away towards property line. If the area is pretty shady you might also consider putting in pavers and making your patio larger.

  • Danielle Clapp Danielle Clapp on Mar 04, 2017

    Make a Rock Garden with stepping stones for occasional traffic if necessary. Then place Potted plants strategically to give it your own unique style and plant preference. Any way you go do your research and then Make it Your Own. Happy Landscaping .

  • EL Hoard EL Hoard on Mar 15, 2017

    Google Dry Streams. They are great for drainage. Here's a photo of one I did.