Raising the Ground

I really thought that I was basically done with my gardening, but I decided to undertake another outdoor project.  I have mentioned before that the properties on our street are prone to flooding in the back yards when we have heavy rains.  The worst place is a low spot along the border of my neighbor's yard and mine.  It is so frequently flooded that the grass no longer grows there, and it is a mud pit.   Most of the "pond" is on my neighbor's property, but it extends right up to my flower beds.

This photo shows the area after most of the "pond" had dried up.  After a rain, it extends much farther than this.

In the far back of my property I have a compost pile which I have neglected for quite a few years.  It had become a large pile, and after removing the top layer of the most recent yard waste, there was an enormous quantity of good dirt.  I decided to try to fill in part of the mud pit.  I carried bucket after bucket of dirt to the location, and now that pile is almost gone.  After I had raised about half of the hollow several inches, I then planted grass seed along the edges of my flower beds.

 

I would have seeded more of the area that I had elevated, but the problem is that we both have to go through there with our lawn mowers (when not flooded).  I don't think that newly planted grass would ever have a chance to take hold.  I contented myself with seeding the area on my side of the line abutting my flower garden.

The night after I finished, we had a heavy thunderstorm.  I couldn't sleep because I worried that in the morning I would discover that all my work had been washed away.  But the elevated area stayed mostly in place.  I noticed yesterday that the grass seed is starting to sprout.  I am hoping that once the grass is established, it will at least hold that area in place.  We will see if my work was in vain.