Standing water, a lawn that squishes for days after a storm, mulch washing across the walk, water creeping toward the foundation: drainage problems are some of the most common calls a landscape company gets in central Mississippi. Madison Planting & Design Group installs French drains and other drainage solutions that move water where it needs to go. If you’re looking for drainage solutions in Madison, MS, Canton, Ridgeland or anywhere in the Jackson metro, we’ll find out where the water comes from and fix the problem at its source.
Why drainage is such a big issue here
Two things work against yards in the Jackson metro: a lot of rain and heavy soil.
- Rain: the Jackson area averages more than 50 inches of rain a year, and much of it arrives in hard downpours rather than gentle soakings.
- Clay: much of Madison, Hinds and Rankin counties sits on dense clay, including expansive Yazoo clay, which absorbs water slowly, stays soggy once saturated and swells and shrinks as it wets and dries.
- Slope and development: new subdivisions, roofs, driveways and patios all shed water faster than woods and pasture did, and it has to go somewhere.
Water also has somewhere to go at a larger scale. In Madison, for example, the east side of the city drains toward the Ross Barnett Reservoir, the north toward Bear Creek and the west toward Limekiln Creek. Getting water off your lot, in a way that doesn’t just push it onto a neighbor’s, starts with understanding that path.
Signs you have a drainage problem
- Puddles that stay on the lawn a day or more after rain
- Bare, muddy or moss-covered areas where grass keeps dying
- Mulch, pine straw or soil washing onto walks and drives
- Water pooling against the house, patio or garage
- Erosion channels on slopes or along fences
- Shrubs that decline in low spots while the same plants thrive elsewhere
French drains
A French drain is a gravel-filled trench, usually with a perforated pipe, that collects water from soggy ground and carries it to a better place to discharge. It’s one of the most useful tools for yards with heavy clay soil, because it gives water a fast path out of soil that would otherwise hold it. French drains are often used along the uphill side of a house or patio, through wet areas of lawn, and behind retaining walls.
Where the drain ends matters as much as where it starts. We plan each drain so it discharges to an appropriate spot on your property rather than creating a new wet area.
Other drainage solutions
Not every wet yard needs a French drain. Depending on what we find, the answer may be one or a combination of these:
- Shaping beds and lawn so surface water flows away from the house and hardscape instead of ponding.
- Rock creek beds: a natural-looking channel of river rock and boulders that carries storm runoff through the yard and looks like it belongs there. See our rock creek beds.
- Hardscape built to drain: patios and walks with a proper base and pitch. See natural stone patios and pavers.
- Right plants for wet spots: where some moisture will always remain, plants that tolerate wet feet do better than fighting it with turf.
- Irrigation adjustments: sometimes part of the problem is an over-watering zone or a leak. Our irrigation team can check and correct it.
How we approach a drainage project
- Look at the whole picture: we walk the property, ideally with you, and note where water enters, where it collects and where it can safely leave. Photos or video from the last big storm help a lot.
- Find the cause: roof runoff, a neighbor’s slope, compacted soil, a low spot or a leaking line all look similar on the surface.
- Recommend a solution: we explain what we’d do and why, with a written proposal.
- Install and restore: our crews install the drainage work and restore the lawn and beds around it, including new sod, mulch or pine straw where needed.
Before any trenching, buried utility lines should be marked through Mississippi 811. For larger sites, sloped lots or new construction, our licensed landscape architect can plan drainage as part of a full site plan.
Drainage as part of a bigger landscape project
The best time to solve drainage is before a patio is poured or a bed is planted. Every custom design/build project we do starts with how water moves across the site. If you’re planning a new patio, pool deck or outdoor living space, let us look at drainage at the same time.
Developers should also know that local rules can affect drainage corridors. In the City of Madison, for example, the landscape ordinance protects vegetation within 20 feet of each bank of creeks and drainage channels in new developments. Always confirm current requirements with your city.
Homes and businesses
Drainage problems at commercial properties can mean slippery walks, damaged turf and unhappy tenants. Our commercial landscaping clients get monthly landscape inspections, which is often where drainage issues are spotted first.
Frequently asked questions
Do you install French drains?
Yes. We install French drains and other drainage solutions for homes and businesses across the Jackson metro.
Can a rock creek bed fix a drainage problem?
Often it can help. A properly placed dry creek bed can carry storm runoff across a yard while adding a natural-looking feature. We’ll look at where water comes from and where it needs to go before recommending one.
Which areas do you serve?
We solve drainage problems in Madison, Canton, Ridgeland, Gluckstadt, Flora, Jackson, Clinton and across the Jackson metro. See our landscaping FAQ for more.
Get your yard draining again
Call (601) 859-5915, Monday–Friday 8:00–5:00, or request a quote online. Tell us where the water goes after a storm and we’ll set up a visit.
