I’ve had mixed luck with the hose-to-curb thing—sometimes the city gets picky about it, depending on runoff rules. What’s worked for me is digging a shallow trench to a mulched area and letting the water soak in gradually. Just gotta make sure it’s not too close to the house or you’ll end up with a soggy basement. Gravel patches are great too, as long as you don’t mind a little mud if it rains right after.
That bit about the city getting picky with curb runoff rules is spot on—my neighbor got a warning last year for draining his pool straight into the street. I’m always worried I’ll get dinged for that, so I’ve been looking for low-key alternatives.
“What’s worked for me is digging a shallow trench to a mulched area and letting the water soak in gradually. Just gotta make sure it’s not too close to the house or you’ll end up with a soggy basement.”
I like this idea, but how deep is “shallow” for a trench? I’m not exactly looking to rent a backhoe or anything. And does anyone know if mulch breaks down faster when it gets hit with all that pool water (with chlorine and stuff)? I’d hate to redo my mulch every season just because of draining.
Gravel patches sound good in theory, but I keep picturing my kids tracking mud everywhere if it rains right after. Is there some kind of budget-friendly ground cover that handles water better than mulch but isn’t as ugly as straight gravel? Or am I just dreaming here...
I’ve done a trench like that before—“shallow” was about 6 inches deep for me, just enough to guide the water but not a huge dig. As for mulch, yeah, chlorine can break it down faster and sometimes it gets a bit funky-smelling after a while. I tried river rock once as a middle ground, but it’s not super cheap. Has anyone tried those creeping ground covers like clover or thyme for this kind of thing? Wondering if they’d hold up with all that water.
- Had a similar setup behind my old house—tried creeping thyme, but honestly, it didn’t love all the standing water after heavy pool drains. It got patchy and muddy in spots.
- Clover lasted longer, but it still thinned out over time where the flow was strongest.
- River rock does work, but like you said, it’s pricey and can get hot in the sun.
Ever thought about mixing gravel with some hardy ground cover? Seems like it might help with both drainage and looks. Curious if anyone’s found a combo that actually holds up long-term...
Curious if anyone’s found a combo that actually holds up long-term...
Mixing gravel with ground cover sounds good on paper, but in my experience it’s a pain to maintain. The gravel shifts around, and the plants either get buried or struggle with the heat. I’ve seen people try it, and after a couple seasons, it just looks messy.
Honestly, a simple French drain with some well-placed river rock (even if it’s just in the main flow path) has held up best for me. It’s not cheap upfront, but you avoid constant patching and reseeding. Sometimes low-maintenance wins out over “pretty” in the long run.
