For those of you who were on here last year, you may be aware that like many others, we have had severe issues with water over the past 18 months. As we are on a slight slope, our section usually drains quite well. But to cut a long story short....our neighbour's disconnected their two down pipes and diverted their roof water onto us and another neighbour. As a result of that, we had a hole form under our gully and collapse it, a hole form in another area in the bricks, and a very waterlogged ground, and consequently uprooted trees, damaged fences (and a tree that landed on neighbour's car) and rotted posts in the bbq area...all which were in the direct pathway of this water. We got council involved who are now working with the neighbour. In the last month there has also been some work down on the roadside in regards to drainage. In the meantime I brought in drainlayers to avoid any further damage (mainly to protect foundations).
The work was done back in March. As a result we had a pile of topsoil left behind. Both the drainlayers and council suggested observing and watching the water flow and then use the topsoil to change the contour of the grass strip if need be and direct the water back into the drainage that was put in.
Finding a dry day when we were free, and when the lawn was dry actually proved to be a bigger challenge than I'd originally thought. While we waited for an optimum time, weeds and grass had grown over the topsoil mound making it somewhat of an eyesore and as i found out today, much harder to shift.
With a truly gorgeous day today, I put my plans to pot up my seedlings, and rebark the chicken run on hold, and got stuck in. Connor joined me for a bit. First we filled up a few buckets, mixed it with a few goodies and used them to top up some flower pots. Once that was sorted, I tackled the rest.
After about 4 hours, I will admit my legs were shaking and I looked like I had actually rolled in the mud. As a tarp had been laid down initially, there was no easy raking it over at the end. It all had to be dug out and the tarp removed.
At this point, the contouring is a bit rough, but over the next few days as it dries out we will reshape things a bit more.
But all in all, despite being completed shattered, I am totally stoked to have finally got this sorted.
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