"Allview" wrote in message
...
I sympathize with your problem. The water stays all around my patio.
There is
a large maple tree there and I can't do much planting or digging there
because
of the shallow roots. I will have to read more about rain gardens. I am
seriously looking into dry creek beds as a way to channel the water.

Marilyn in Ohio

A dry creek bed is a great idea. I've built several over the years for
clients. Here's some tips...
Make sure it drains away from your house or existing wet area (when it
rains)
The larger rocks should be darkest in color and furthest from the middle.
The smaller rocks, lighter in color, will accent the center line.
Avoid any straight lines or sharp bends. The creek should flow naturally.
Be careful of what you plant along the edge. Some plants will cross the bed
and eventually clog it.
Use porous weed barrier on the bottom to keep the rocks from sinking into
the soil.

Neat trick - scatter a small bag of marbles amongst the rocks. The sun will
make them sparkle like diamonds.